Durust Daam App Disruption Raises Concerns During Ramadan

The district administration’s price monitoring application, the Durust Daam app, has reportedly become inactive, raising concerns among citizens who rely on it to check official prices of vegetables and fruits.

Users attempting to access the app are receiving the message “Invalid Response from Server,” preventing them from viewing updated government rates or filing complaints about overpricing.

Technical Fault Disrupts Price Monitoring

According to reports, the application is currently facing a technical issue. The National Information Technology Board (NITB) has shifted responsibility for the problem to the district administration, stating that the system itself is functioning properly.

NITB officials claim the disruption is not due to a software failure but because price data is not being uploaded to the platform. They maintain that the app works as designed and requires regular data updates from the relevant authorities to operate effectively.

Officials from NITB further stated that the district administration is responsible for feeding daily market price information into the system.

Background: Launched in 2019 to Control Inflation

The Durust Daam app was introduced in 2019 in Islamabad as part of efforts to monitor and help control inflation.

Through the platform, citizens can:

• Compare official government rates with market prices
• Check daily price lists for essential commodities
• Submit complaints against retailers charging above official rates

The app was designed to improve transparency in pricing and provide consumers with a digital tool to report overcharging.

Public Concern During Ramadan

The reported shutdown has triggered public concern, particularly as the app is widely used during Ramadan, when demand for food items increases and price fluctuations become more common.

Consumers say the application plays an important role in helping families verify official rates before purchasing groceries. With the system currently inaccessible, users are unable to verify government-notified prices or lodge complaints through the platform.

Widespread Usage

The Durust Daam app has recorded over 189,000 downloads on the Google Play Store, reflecting significant public reliance on the service.

Given its role in price transparency and consumer protection, the technical disruption has prompted questions about data management, coordination between departments, and system maintenance responsibilities.

What Happens Next?

While NITB maintains that the application is operational, resolution of the issue depends on timely data uploads from the district administration.

Until updated price information is restored, the app’s core functionality, real-time price verification, remains unavailable.

Authorities have not yet issued a detailed public timeline for when full services will resume.

The situation highlights the importance of consistent data coordination between administrative bodies to ensure digital public service platforms remain functional and effective.