Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The citizens on Saturday urged the authorities concerned to pay surprise visits to rein in the prevailing phenomena of overcharging being observed in the markets of the federal capital during the holy month of Ramazan.

The people were of the view that government had taken productive steps by introducing the fixed and affordable rates for fruits, but it is time to keep an eye on the profiteers who always look for an opportunity for fleecing the public. According to them, such visits of officials concerned to fruit and vegetable markets would help maintaining the prices of fruits and other edibles and facilitate buyers in the holy month of Ramazan.

Shafique, a resident of Sector G-13/4, said, “Yesterday, I had to pay Rs 280 just to buy one dozen of banana, which means I had paid Rs 140 extra just to buy one fruit.” He asked the price control committee members of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) to check the prices of fruits which were sky rocketing despite tall claims by the departments concerned. He said that it was not possible for the residents to go to G-9 market – around 10 kilometer away from G-13 – and they were forced to buy fruits from the local market where every shopkeeper has its own rate list and everyone was fleecing the buyers.

Another buyer from the same market said that shopkeepers had placed unauthorized rate lists which should be checked regularly by the officials of the Islamabad Capital Territory. He urged the authorities concerned to ensure that every shopkeeper in the federal capital had actual price list placed for general public. “I fully support the ongoing social media drive to avoid buying fruits at high rates, as these fruits were no more in access of a common man. This campaign could be an eye opener for hoarders to avoid this immoral practice in the holy month of Ramazan.”

When contacted, an official of the ICT said that special committee has been formed to control the prices of edible items in the federal capital during the month of Ramazan. He said that teams have been regularly carrying out inspections in their assigned areas and punishing the violators with fines. He added the campaign would continue throughout the month.

The official said that the ICT administration had imposed fines amounting to Rs 1,40,800 on shopkeepers for overcharging the food items during its ongoing crackdown against hoarders. He said that as many as 20 price-checking teams headed by magistrates checked 88 shops so far and took action against 26 profiteers, adding that seven profiteers were also arrested on the spot for violation of pure food ordinance.

The official said that in some areas, the profiteers were found selling substandard food items besides displaying fake rate lists. All such shopkeepers have been clearly directed to display rate list of food items and sell the foods at fixed rates. They have been warned of strict legal action if any violation was found on their party, he added.

Published in Daily Times, May 20^th 2018.