Six Mansehra traders fined over profiteering

MANSEHRA: The district administration has arrested six traders and fined dozens of others during a crackdown launched against hoarding of wheat flour in the district.

“We have arrested six traders and fined many others over creating artificial shortage of wheat and selling it on a higher price,” Additional Assistant Commissioner Sundus Arshad Malik told reporters on Wednesday.

A team of the district administration, food department and police, led by Sundus, raided shops here in the city, Khaki, Khawajgan and Barkund areas and arrested six traders. She said that crackdown was launched after traders increased what flour prices and created an artificial shortage in the markets while taking advantage of lockdown enforced by government to contain the outbreak of coronavirus.

“Nobody is above the law and the crackdown would continue to ensure a smooth supply of wheat flour on the prices fixed by the district price and control review committee led by the deputy commissioner,” she said.

The district administration also restored 67 sale points in the district to supply wheat flour to buyers at a subsidised rate. District Food Controller Shad Mohammad Khan told reporters after a meeting that the district administration had decided to restore previous sale points established during recent flour crisis in the province and supply wheat flour on subsidised rates. He said that wheat flour supply on subsidised rate of Rs810 per 20kg bag would be ensured across the district.