Reply sought on plea against high prices of fruit, vegetables

LAHORE:The Lahore High Court on Thursday sought reply from the Punjab government on an application challenging the undue increase in prices of fruits and vegetables, especially tomatoes. 

Justice Shahid Karim was hearing an application moved by Judicial Activism Penal (JAP) through its chairman advocate Muhammad Azhar Siddique into his already pending petition against increase in prices of essential commodities.

He submitted that every government was duty bound to work for the welfare and protection of public and ensure the food and vegetables supply at reasonable prices. He asserted that unfortunately incumbent federal, provincial and city distract governments are just trying to protect their party leader and in this regard they are repealing laws day by day. He said due to bad governance, the prices of fruits, vegetables and other edible items were rapidly increasing. He pleaded that the provincial government had miserably failed to regulate the prices of essential commodities.

He said that it was the responsibility of both the governments and the price control authority to maintain or control prices of vegetables, especially tomatoes to that extent which should be in reach of a common man. He submitted that there was no justification to increase tomatoes price at unreasonable pace.

He submitted that the provincial government had badly failed to control and regulate the price mechanism and as well as hoarding, which leads to a excessive profiteering and is not only an act of exploitation within the term of Article 3 of the Constitution. He requested that the government and authorities concerned should be directed to take coercive as well as penal action against the hoarders, stockers and profiteers are involved in the sale of high rates products, especially vegetables.