Sugar sale points at ‘Ramazan Sasta’ Bazaars increased

Rawalpindi : Following the directions of Lahore High Court (LHC) the local administration increased the sugar sale points up to 408 in Rawalpindi here on Thursday.

Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Syed Gulzar Hussain Shah ordered the local administration to further increase 2 sugar sale points in all ‘Ramazan Sasta’ Bazaars. The Commissioner has also directed to end the clause of showing ID card or submitting copy of ID card in buying of subsidized sugar.

The local administration has increased sugar points to avoid long queues.

Some two days back, the Lahore High Court (LHC) expressed anger and passed strong remarks against Punjab government for making citizens stand in long queues to buy sugar at subsidized rate. “The government has turned the people (into) beggars in the name of Rs15 discount on sugar price,” Justice Shahid Jamil Khan regretted while hearing petitions of sugar mills against the government’s decision of fixing the ex-mill price of the commodity at Rs80.

The local administration has established total 408 Sugar Points outside of 'Ramazan Sasta' Bazaars to facilitate public. The local administration has also arranged chairs for consumers at sugar points. There were total 10 ‘Ramazan Sasta’ Bazaars in Rawalpindi city and cantonment board localities. There was one sugar point in every ‘Ramazan Sasta’ Bazaar but local administration has further increased two sugar points in every bazaar. Now, there are total three sugar points in each bazaar.

Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Syed Gulzar Hussain Shah said that they have arranged separate sugar points from ‘Ramazan Sasta’ Bazaars due to avoid rush. “Coronavirus is increasing day-to-day, therefore we have arranged separate sugar points,” he added. He also said that consumers will never submit copy of ID card at the time of sugar buying. He said that we have received several complaints by public in this regard. He also directed price magistrates to show their presence in fruit and vegetable markets at the time of open bidding.

Meanwhile, assistant commissioners have conducted total 2,156 raids in Rawalpindi. The concerned officers have registered 3 FIRs and imposed fine of Rs341,300 against SOP violators. Similarly, local administration has also imposed fine of Rs144,500 against shopkeepers for selling sugar on higher prices.