Grocery Shortages Due to Long March

I usually do my shopping on Sundays, but with my husband's sickness last week we didn't run out of groceries until Tuesday. When I went to the stores, I had to spend more time than usual looking for particular products. Finally, at the last option (after going to three other places), I asked one of the workers what was up. He let me know that the stores were dealing with shortages, as trucks had been delayed due to the Long March protest. The government had blocked main roads in and out of major cities, and the highway between Lahore and Islambad proved a "no go" zone for many. I was assured that after one or two days, the stock should be returned to normal. Thankfully, there were no shortages of staple items such as wheat, flour, sugar, fruits and vegetables.

In other news, I found out that the allergy medication I usually take, Zyrtec, will no longer be available in Pakistan. He sold me the last 9 pills that he had. Here, people usually buy medication in small amounts, often cutting up the original packets to sell smaller numbers.I was bummed because a month's supply of it over here costs me 120 rupees ($1.5), where the same amount can cost upwards of $75/month in the U.S. The pharmacist owner was quite helpful and gave me a different, locally available brand to try.