Four fair price stalls cancelled for fleecing buyers

Islamabad : The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration has cancelled four fair-price stalls at various locations in the city and booked two shopkeepers for selling fruits and vegetables at exorbitant rates to the buyers.

Chairman, market committee, Roshdil khan Hoti took action against the violators during his surprise visit at various stalls on Saturday, following public complaints about non-compliance of official rates.

He was accompanied by other ICT officials during the visit.

Talking to APP, Roshdil Khan said around 21 stalls were established across the city, a month ago, in collaboration with Capital Development Authority (CDA) and local administration so the people can purchase fruits and vegetables at controlled rates.

The initiative was aimed at providing instant relief to the masses amid artificial inflation in the country as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said.

Hoti said CDA had provided the land to establish those stalls while the teams of ICT administration comprising assistant commissioners and magistrates were constantly monitoring the prices there.

To a query, he said the market committee was ensuring provision of fruits and vegetables to stallholders at controlled rates through open auctioning at ‘Sabzi Mandi’ with good profit margin to sell them to purchasers at official rates.

The stall-holders were strictly asked to exhibit official rate list on prominent places for the convenience of the buyers, he added.

The stall cancelled were located at different localities including PM staff colony, G-11/2, G-11/4, and F-10/2.Meanwhile, a nominal crowd was witnessed on Saturday at major stalls of Islamabad including F11, E11, and G-10 ‘goll chowk’ due to rainy weather.

Talking to APP at various stalls, the buyers expressed satisfaction over the prices of edibles set by the local administration as compared to main markets where the shopkeepers were charging more than the actual price to mint some extra money.

Appreciating the government initiative, they urged the administration to monitor the stalls regularly to provide maximum relief to the masses and take action against violators.

As per the official rate list issued on Saturday, the potatoes and tomatoes were available at Rs350 for five Kilograms each while the onion was being sold at Rs260 for the same quantity at the stalls.