For the common man: ‘Prices have declined due to Sahulat bazaars’

Shahbaz Sharif says necessary measures are being taken to keep prices of essential items within common man’s reach.

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday said necessary measures were being taken to keep the prices of essential items within the common man’s reach. As many as 141 Sahulat Bazaars had been established in the Punjab and prices had substantially decreased because of that, he said.

The chief minister was presiding over a cabinet committee meeting to review the prices of essential commodities. He said price control would be strictly enforced. He said elected representatives had played an important role in stabilising the prices of essential commodities. Local administration and elected representatives have been tasked with overseeing rates of essential items on a daily basis. “This has shown positive results,” he said.

Sharif said strict action would be taken against vendors selling adulterated meat. The government was in the process of setting up price control committees at town level. He said the government was also planning to revive dasterkhwans (soup kitchens) for the needy. Plans were afoot to extend model bazaars to more cities.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2013.