Violators of notified price list to face action, high court told

The Karachi commissioner’s office has assured the Sindh High Court (SHC) that no one in the city would be allowed to sell essential commodities at higher rates, and that action would be taken against violators of the notified price list.

Filing comments on a petition against the increase in the prices of essential commodities, the commissioner said that price magistrates of the district administration have been constantly paying surprise visits to different shops and supermarkets to check prices.

He said that various shops and supermarkets have been fined without any discrimination, adding that 1,321 cases have been registered and fines worth Rs11,611,500 imposed, while 39 shops have been sealed and two shopkeepers sent to prison for violating the notified price list.

The provincial law officer said the commissioner’s office and the district administration would continue to be vigilant by visiting different markets and shops to control illegal hikes in the prices of essential commodities covered under the Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Act, 2005.

He said that no one would be allowed to sell essential commodities at higher rates, adding that in case of violations of the price list issued from time to time, action would be taken against the violators in accordance with the law.

After taking the commissioner’s report on record, an SHC division bench headed by Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi disposed of the petition. The court directed the commissioner to submit a compliance report to the court.

The court had earlier directed the commissioner to submit a report with regard to the action being taken against the unscrupulous persons who were violating the official price list and selling different commodities at higher rates to the public during Ramazan.

Petitioner Shamir said that essential commodities, including fruits and vegetables, were being sold in the market at much higher prices in violation of the official price list. The petitioner’s counsel Abdul Latif Leghari said that the prices of essential commodities were not being checked, and that the district administration had failed to enforce the sale of essential commodities in accordance with its official price list.

The court had earlier directed the official respondents to ensure that in case of any violation of the price list issued by the commissioner in respect of various commodities, appropriate action be taken against such persons in accordance with the law.