Daily Times

LAHORE: As many as 6,136 profiteers have been arrested in a crackdown against violators of government notified rates from March 1st to July 26, the Price Control Report shows. Price Control Magistrates (PCMs) have conducted raids at 9,648 different locations in open and critical markets of the city and inspected 91,576 shops in these raids. As many as 3,490 challans were issued to shopkeepers on minor violations during the crackdown, the report shows. According to the report, PCMs have lodged 6,141 FIRs against shopkeepers and arrested 6,163 for violating notified rates. Of these, 3,928 were sent directly to the jail to serve sentences issued by the PCMs using magisterial powers.  The district administration has generated Rs5.93 million in revenue from fines collected during the crackdown. During the raids, the PCMs found that several naan shops and milk sellers were not following notified rates. Lahore Deputy Commissioner Sumair Ahmed Syed told Daily Times that teams were conducting the crackdown in an efficient manner. He said 600 to 800 shops were being checked everyday and between 40 and 60 people arrested on violating notified rates. He said 13,881 different violations were reported by PCMs from March to till date and strict action had been taken against the violators. He said there was no doubt that several shopkeepers were selling goods to customers by misleading and deceiving them. “This is unlawful but we will deal with such shopkeepers in a strict manner,” he said. He said a review had been conducted and revised rates of essential commodities would be notified with mutual cooperation of all departments concerned and traders. He requested citizens to point out to the government shoppers who were violating the rates through telephone helplines and through social media.

Published in Daily Times, July 28^th , 2017.