Corona fear triggers panic buying

RAWALPINDI: Widespread fear of coronavirus has disrupted routine life as citizens in the state of panic are buying long life staples like vegetables, rice, sugar, ghee, cooking oil, surf, soap, chicken, meat, toilet roll, tissue papers, milk packs resulted shortage of all items in stores here on Sunday.

The local management has announced to shut down shops of all kinds except food item shops, but majority of vegetable shopkeepers, meat shopkeepers and even general store owners closed down shops and ran away to homes in fear of FIRs. In fear and panic, majority of families ran to available open stores to purchase routine life items to stock.

Growing demand for food in open super stores created an unrest situation and consumers stood in long queues. According to experts, it was fear to worst shortage of food items in super stores while profiteers and hoarders will take strong financial benefit in coming days. The local management, with the help of police, arrested 41 people; they were violating Punjab government orders.

Wah Police Station has arrested Shah Jahan, Muhammad Nasir and Muhammad Rizwan, who were celebrating marriage ceremony despite ban. Saddar Wah Police Station also arrested Muhammad Shahid, Muhammad Sabir and Mehmood Ahmed they opened their shops.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Rawal Mazhar Iqbal and Superintendent of Police (SP) Potohar Syed Ali have raised all areas and arrested violators on Sunday. They said that we are following the directions of Punjab government to close down all markets and shops. “We will never spare violators in this regard,” they warned.

The assistant commissioners with the help of police have visited in all areas announced to shut down all shops immediately otherwise they will face strict legal action. Majority of shopkeepers closed their business activities but those violated the orders of local management arrested by police.

The Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi Capt ® Anwar-ul-Haq told ‘The News’ that we are not closing food item shops but ordering to close down all other shops. Punjab government has directed us to do so, he said. The DC, Rawalpindi has appealed public not to panic with this situation and buy food items according to their needs rather stock for long life. The superstore owners said that public in the state of fear and panic madly buying food items for long life. We could not control the difference of demand and supply in this situation. It will create shortage of all food items in coming days, they warned.