Staff Reporter
Provincial Minister for Trade & Industries Mian Aslam Iqbal has directed to expedite crackdown against hoarders and profiteers in the province and made it clear that government will go to every extent to protect the rights of the people as public interest is supreme.
In a statement issued here on Monday, Aslam Iqbal said that district administration and line departments should efficiently work to ensure the sale of essential items on fixed rates. There is no room for any negligence in this regard, he added. He said that the black sheep, exploiting the people through artificial price hike and hoarding, will be dealt with iron hands. He directed the industries department to proactively work to prevent any variation in weighing and measuring and price control magistrates should remain in markets to check the prices of essential items. The elements exploiting the consumers through overpricing deserve to be jailed, he added.
Meanwhile, price control magistrates have conducted raids on around 13 thousand shops on 23 & 24 November. 2439 violations were notices with regard to overpricing and 241 persons were arrested while 283 cases have been registered. Fines worth Rs.43 lakh, 30 thousand and 800 have been imposed as well.
