Rawalpindi : The administration on the directives of Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Saqib Manan conducted 20,646 raids across the division against hoarders and profiteers and imposed fines amounting to over Rs3 million during last week.
According to a commissioner’s office spokesperson, the Commissioner had instructed the authorities concerned to take strict action in accordance with the law against hoarders and profiteers on daily basis. She informed that 22 FIRs were also lodged while 186 profiteers and hoarders were sent behind the bars during the period.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rawalpindi Shoaib Ali had also ordered the authorities concerned including Assistant Commissioners (ACs) of Rawalpindi district to take strict action against profiteers. The ACs were also visiting flour mills and checking the wheat stocks and records.
Revenue field staff and price magistrates were deputed to supervise wheat grinding as per quota and delivery of wheat bags to market as per ratio, she said adding, the ACs were also carrying out price checking activity in different areas and fines were being imposed on profiteers, hoarders and the shopkeepers not displaying the price lists. She said that Rawalpindi District Food Department had set up 74 wheat flour sale points in different areas of the district to facilitate the citizens and ensure regular supply of the flour on subsidized rates.
Earlier, 60 wheat flour sale points were set up by the administration while on the directives of Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Saqib Manan the number of the sale points was enhanced to 74 in different areas of Rawalpindi including city, cantt and saddar. She informed that all the flour mills of the district were directed to supply 500 each subsidised wheat flour bags weighing 10 kg to the citizens daily. The administration was ensuring supply of nearly 37,000 wheat flour bags on daily basis in various markets and bazaars across the district.
She said the district administration teams were also monitoring the supply of wheat flour and action was being taken against the violators of the order. “The food department will take action against hoarders and those involved in the cartelisation of wheat causing a price hike as we have a surplus of agricultural commodities in the Rawalpindi division,” she added. She said there was no flour shortage in the district, adding an ample quantity of flour was available at all sale points. The Food Department Rawalpindi and district police on the directives of the authorities concerned were strictly monitoring all the exit points of Rawalpindi district to foil wheat and flour smuggling bids, she added.
