1264 raids conducted for the provision of edible items at fixed rates

Lahore:Secretary Industries Dr. Shujaat Ali has said that Ramzan Bazaars and markets are being monitored for the provision of edible items to the people at fixed rates during Ramzan-ul-Mubark. Price control magistrates conducted 1264 raids in different areas and arrested 20 shopkeepers for selling essential items at higher rates and got registered cases against them in concerned police stations besides received fine of about Rs.94 lakh on the spot from 976 shopkeepers.

He informed this while presiding over a meeting, here today which was attended by officers of Food, Industries, Agriculture and other departments. The meeting was informed that profiteers in Faisalabad were imposed maximum fine of Rs.1.5 lakh while minimum fine of Rs.4,000 was imposed to the shopkeepers of Hafizabad.

The representative of Food Department informed the meeting that 173625 Atta bags were sent to 337 Ramazan bazaars for sale throughout the province, out of which 133229 Atta bags were sold. The representative of Industries Department informed the meeting that 190690 people including 165120 men and 25570 women performed Iftari (broke fast) at 1609 Ramazan Dastarkhawans. The meeting was also informed that 23503 kg gram flour was sold at the rate of Rs.81 per kg besides 27315 kg gram pulse was sold in Ramazan Bazaars. Secretary Industries directed the officers of divisional and district administration to keep a vigilant eye on the prices of commodities and take strict action against the shopkeepers selling edible items at higher prices.