ISLAMABAD: Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Javed Abbasi on Thursday informed the National Assembly (NA) that the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration had arrested around 67 shopkeepers for overcharging prices of daily commodities.
Responding to a calling attention notice regarding an increase in the prices of edible items in the month of Ramazan in the country, especially in Islamabad, he said as many as 28 magistrates were performing their field duties to check the price of edibles in the city.
During the inspection, he said the magistrates found 67 traders selling the items in violation of the prescribed rate list and ordered their arrest besides imposing heavy fines.
He said that Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation had established seven ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’ to provide quality edible items including fresh fruits and vegetables at concessional rates throughout the holy month.
About fixing the price of edibles in the federal capital, he said, district administration along with traders finalized the prices of all items by giving them 20 percent profit.
He said a complaint center in the Deputy Commissioner’s (DCs) Office had also been set up for the facilitation and redressal of consumer grievances.
The minister further informed the parliamentarians that despite facing difficult economic challenges, the incumbent government provided free flour to underprivileged families under the ‘Ramazan Package’.
He said the government, in line with directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was making all-out efforts to execute the initiative of free flour distribution without hurting the self-respect of any citizen.
Abbasi said that the prime minister himself visited the flour distribution points established countrywide, to review the arrangements made by the government to alleviate the financial sufferings of the common man.
“The government is taking all possible measures to reduce the difficulties of deserving people during the holy month of Ramazan,” he added.
Abbasi said the government was well aware of the difficulties being faced by the masses due to high inflation and fully determined to provide maximum relief to them through various initiatives.