Lahore:The district administration has arrested five profiteers and imposed fines on violators during a citywide crackdown against overcharging, conducting 23,656 market inspections to ensure compliance with official price lists.
On the directions of Deputy Commissioner Lahore Muhammad Ali Ejaz, Assistant Commissioners conducted 7,925 inspections, issued 230 challans and arrested five profiteers, while the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA) carried out 15,735 inspections, issued 821 challans and imposed fines amounting to Rs950,000.
The district administration detected 3,242 cases of overcharging and imposed fines of Rs50,000, while Assistant Commissioners conducted 793 inspections and imposed fines of Rs4,000 on profiteers.
The district administration directed all markets and stores to prominently display official price lists and ensure strict compliance with government-fixed rates, particularly for fruits, vegetables and chicken.
The DC directed the relevant officials to continue indiscriminate legal action against profiteering and hoarding and personally monitor the auction process at fruit and vegetable markets on a daily basis. He said provision of quality essential commodities to citizens at government-fixed rates was the top priority of the district administration, adding that artificial price hikes and profiteering would not be tolerated under any circumstances.
DC Muhammad Ali Ejaz said strict action would be taken against those failing to comply with official price lists, adding that exploitation of citizens’ rights would not be tolerated. He said the crackdown against profiteering would continue under a zero-tolerance policy, while markets and wholesale markets were being monitored on a daily basis.