LAHORE:Caretaker Provincial Minister for Industries and Commerce SM Tanveer chaired a meeting to assess the performance of Directorate General of Industries, Price, Weight & Measure, and Consumer Protection Councils here on Sunday.
Director General Industries Ayesha Hameed and Director of Consumer Protection Council Mahmood Ahmad Bhatti briefed the meeting about the performance and working.
Expressing his contentment with the achievements of both institutions, the minister directed an acceleration in actions taken against wholesalers and hoarders.
Emphasizing the significance of dedicated public service, he urged the price control magistrates and related officers to remain in the field, ensuring the accessibility of essential items to the public at fair rates.
The minister highlighted the importance of raising consumer awareness about their rights and called for proactive measures from relevant authorities to safeguard those rights.
DG Industries Ayesha Hameed provided an overview of their efforts, reporting a staggering 2.2 million inspections conducted against price-hike in the past three months. This resulted in the registration of 4,802 cases and collection of over Rs. 230 million from profiteers.
Furthermore, over 14,000 shopkeepers engaged in overpricing were apprehended. To combat hoarding, 80 cases were registered, 209 warehouses were sealed, and fines exceeding Rs 2.3 million were imposed, she added.
Director of Consumer Protection Council Mahmood Bhatti said that to date, a significant number of cases have been filed in consumer courts, reaching 50,752. Of these, 47,932 cases have been successfully resolved. Moreover, out of the 49,073 complaints lodged with the authorities/deputy commissioners concerned, 47,049 have been effectively addressed.
Mahmood Bhatti also highlighted the automation of the entire system within the Directorate of Consumer Protection Council and its field offices.
Secretary Industries Ehsan Bhatta, Additional Secretary (Industries) and others were also present.