Over 19,000 profiteers penalised in June across Rawalpindi

Under a campaign launched by Rawalpindi district administration against profiteering and hoarding, fines amounting to over Rs5.8 million were imposed on 19,362 shopkeepers during the month of June.

According to Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Anwarul Haq, the administration was conducting raids against hoarders and profiteers and strict action in accordance with the law was being taken against the violators.

He informed that fines were imposed on the violators in seven tehsils of the Rawalpindi district during June. The teams conducted 450 raids in seven tehsils of the district during last 24 hours and imposed Rs79,000 fine on 45 violators, he added.

The administration had constituted teams to check profiteering, hoarding and rate lists of daily use items while on the recommendations of the teams, several cases were also registered. Following the directives of the Punjab government, the teams checked hoarding and profiteering and those found indulged in violation of the law were sent behind the bars while several persons found involved in profiteering, not displaying price lists and violating hygiene standards were also issued warnings, he added. DC Haq said the special campaign would continue to ensure the provision of daily use items on controlled rates.

The steps were being taken aimed at providing relief to the consumers, he added. He informed that under disinfection activities being conducted in different areas of the district to control spread of coronavirus, 112 places were also disinfected during last 24 hours.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 30^th, 2020.