Amraiz Khan
Provincial Trade and Industries Minister, Mian Aslam Iqbal has said that hoarders, illegal profiteers and those creating artificial price-hike will be dealt with iron hands adding that practical steps have been taken to overcome price-hike and to provide relief to the general public.
He expressed these views while talking to the media men at Punjab Assembly here on Friday. He said that instructions have been issued to expedite crackdown against hoarders and illegal profiteers. He said that complete monitoring of 18 essential items including flour, sugar, ghee and roti will be done and magistrates will take on-the-spot action against illegal profiteers.
He emphasized that the mass media should also pinpoint the illegal profiteers and hoarders as provision of relief to the masses is the first priority of the PTI government. The government would ensure that the general public could not face any difficulty in the purchase of daily-use items, he assured. Mian Aslam Iqbal termed the abolishing of scale, weight licensing fee as an important step adding that it would benefit two lakh small shopkeepers and vendors. Now inspectors would not check the petty shopkeepers and important relief will be given to them after abolishing of scale, weight licence fee. Similarly, pushcarts and small kiosks would also be exempted from this fee.
He said that small-scale vendors and shopkeepers will be fully encouraged by the government. He, however, asserted that any practice of variation in weight and measurement will not be tolerated and strict action will be taken against those found involved in the practice of price-hike and weighing less.
The process of checking prices and weights and measurements will be continued, he added. Meanwhile, the industrial department has issued notification of abolishing fee of scales which would benefit scales measuring from 100 gram to 20kg.
