LAHORE: The authorities have intensified the ongoing crackdown on profiteers across the province, arresting 3,288 persons and lodging 1,181 FIRs during the first week of Ramazan.
The price control magistrates conducted inspections of 435000 spots and imposed fines of more than Rs. 40 million.
The report on the actions against the profiteers was presented in the meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman at the Civil Secretariat. The meeting reviewed the price control measures and provision of ration bags under the Ramazan package. The secretaries of the relevant departments including industries, agriculture, additional IG Special Branch, chairman PITB and officers concerned attended the meeting while the additional chief secretary, all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners participated through video link.
The Chief Secretary ordered that the ongoing crackdown against profiteers be expedited. He asked the administrative officers to ensure the implementation of the price lists a
s the sale of essential commodities at more than the fixed prices is not acceptable in any case. He said that special inspections should be carried out on the identification of special branches. He also asked the price magistrates to remain fully active in the field and take stern action against overcharging. The Chief Secretary also issued instructions to speed up the supply of ration bags to the deserving people in Gujranwala, Sialkot, Gujarat, Sargodha, Mianwali, and said that the deserving people should get their right at their doorsteps as soon as possible.
The secretaries of industries and agriculture gave a detailed briefing in the meeting. They said that 3.8 million ration bags have been delivered to the deserving people under the Nigehban Ramazan package. A day before, 113000 consumers benefited from the agriculture fair price shops established in the Ramazan bazaars. A subsidy of Rs 20 million is being given daily on 13 items at these fair price shops, they concluded.