Amraiz Khan
Lahore
Punjab has promulgated anti-hoarding Ordinance to control hoarding and profiteering in the province.
As per Ordinance hoarding has been termed as a non-bailable crime and deputy commissioners of all districts now have the power to carryout raids without search warrants. Special magistrate will announce verdict of hoarding case in 30 days.
Ordinance contains three-year sentence, summary trial and confiscation of the material for hoarding of wheat, sugar, flour, ghee, sanitizers, face masks and other essential items. Appeal against the verdict of special magistrate can be filled within 30 days in session court, which is bound to announce its verdict in next 30 days. Punjab government has released list of 41 goods which cannot be hoarded according to the ordinance. List includes tea, sugar, powdered milk, milk for children, edible oil, fruit, salt, potato, onion, pulses, fish, beef, mutton, eggs, spices, vegetables, kerosene oil, match sticks, coal, chemical fertilizers, poultry food, cement, cotton seeds, caustic soda, pesticides, wheat flour, face masks, N95 masks, sanitizers, surface cleaners, alcohol and wool. Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that hoarding will not be tolerated under any circumstances and vowed strict action. He said that people who are hoarding items in these testing times do not deserve any leniency.
