56 hoarders, profiteers arrested

Pindi admin says traders involved in creating artificial shortage of flood relief items

RAWALPINDI:

In a major crackdown, at least 56 traders were arrested across the Rawalpindi division for hoarding and increasing prices of flood relief items and essential commodities.

The Rawalpindi district administration also registered nine more cases against traders for their alleged involvement in hoarding and creating an artificial shortage of essential commodities.

Price control magistrates cast their net wide to go after hoarders and profiteers as the country struggles to cope with flooding.

The district administration said that a crackdown has been started against elements involved in creating an artificial shortage of food items and selling essential commodities for a higher price.

Price control magistrates checked 21,380 points during the last 24 hours and cases were registered against nine persons for selling daily use items for a higher price, the administration said adding that 56 traders were taken into custody for profiteering and hoarding.

The district administration said that the government and welfare organizations are purchasing a large number of food items for flood victims from the local markets and the traders were taking advantage of the situation by resorting to hoarding and profiteering.

Traders in fruit markets, Dalgran Bazaar, Ganjmandi, Nirankari Bazaar, Talwaran Bazaar and other wholesale markets have increased prices arbitrarily to earn maximum profit.

The district administration has installed DC counters at 207 places across the division to prevent traders from hoarding and profiteering. During the last 24 hours, price control magistrates also visited over 34 warehouses and cold storage shops across the division to check the hoarding.

A spokesperson for the district administration said that plenty of food items, flour, vegetables and fruit were available throughout the Rawalpindi division, but a few traders have resorted to hoarding and profiteering.

He said that district administration officials will continue to inspect vegetable markets, warehouses and wholesale markets on daily basis to ensure the availability of daily-use items.

He said that legal proceedings have been initiated against those who have been taken into custody. The sale of commodities against fixed rates in the vegetable and fruit market will not be tolerated, he said.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2022.