Minister for sealing shops over profiteering

LAHORE: Minister for Industries Mian Aslam Iqbal and Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal reviewed prices, availability of essential commodities and performance of magistrates in a meeting at Civil Secretariat here on Saturday. Addressing the meeting, the minister said instead of imposing a fine on the shopkeeper for profiteering, his shop should be sealed for a week.

He directed the district administrations to monitor the auction process in markets daily and send its report to the industries department. He asked the deputy commissioners to fix prices of pulses according to fluctuation in rates in the international market and ensure availability of flour, sugar and ghee.

The minister directed the field officers to ensure display of rate lists at shops and take immediate action against the violators. He said imposing fines on fake receipts would not be tolerated and a system of issuing e-challans should be devised to impose fines. He clarified that in future only notified magistrates would be authorised to conduct price checking. The chief secretary said price-hike is the biggest problem for the common man and the administrative officers would have to make ‘extra efforts’ to overcome it. He said it was the responsibility of the administrative officers to implement fixed rates.

He directed that prices of essential commodities should be stabilised through market mechanism and reasons for price differential in districts should be ascertained. He said for the provision of relief to the common man, availability of commodities would be ensured at fixed rates. He sought a report on higher prices of eatables in Rawalpindi as compared to other districts.

The administrative secretaries of relevant departments including industries, agriculture, food, PITB chairman, commissioner and officers concerned attended the meeting while all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners participated through video link.