Buzdar orders strict action against profiteers, hoarders

Rs75m worth of fines imposed on violators

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar chaired a meeting at his office on Wednesday to review the price control mechanism and measures being taken against profiteering and hoarding.

The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary to CM, secretaries of food, transport, livestock, industries, information departments, Commissioner and DC Lahore and others while Industries Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, commissioners, DCs, RPOs and DPOs participated through video link.

The meeting was told that a collective fine of Rs75 million has been imposed along with the registration of more than 11,000 FIRs across Punjab.

The proposal of sealing the shops, instead of imposing fines on profiteers, was deliberated as well.

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The CM said commissioners and DCs should review the reasons for price-hike at the grassroots level, adding that practical measures be ensured in this regard.

“It is imperative to improve performance to overcome hoarding and control prices,” he stressed and further directed that the early morning auction process be fully monitored. The sale of daily use items including floor and sugar be ensured at fixed rates, he said.

The CM announced to reward the first three best performing districts while least performers will be issued notices for failure in price control drive, he warned.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 30^th, 2021.