Daily Times

The Rawalpindi district administration has conducted 799 raids in different markets of the district to check hoarding and profiteering during the current month. A total of 19 shopkeepers were arrested and 24 FIRs were lodged besides imposing Rs200,000 fines on the violators.

According to a district administration spokesman, Chakki wheat flour was being supplied at Rs58 per kg.

The administration on the directives of Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar launched a special campaign and took action against the profiteers and hoarders, while 19 premises were also sealed for violating the orders of the government.

Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Syed Gulzar Hussain Shah is regularly chairing meetings to review prices of daily use items. In the last few days, after an artificial price hike, a strict action was taken in all divisions of the province, including Rawalpindi, and the wholesale dealers of sugar were arrested.

A wholesale dealer of sugar was also arrested in Rawalpindi on the same charges. Imported sugar is being sold in 33 sahulat bazaars across Rawalpindi district and so far 329 metric tonnes have been sold in these markets. Flour is also being sold at government-fixed rates across the district.

So far, 286,000 bags of flour have been sold in these markets.

The prices of potatoes, tomatoes and onions are better than in several other cities. DC counters have also been established to provide relief to the citizens particularly at big stores in the division.

At present, 127 DC counters are functioning in Rawalpindi division.

The commissioner has directed all the price control magistrates to ensure sale of quality wheat flour at the sale points. The authorities were instructed to strictly monitor the sale of sugar at the shops being provided sugar at Rs89. Khuli kutchery in PP-16: Provincial Minister for Literacy and Informal Basic Education Punjab Raja Rashid Hafeez Sunday held a weekly ‘khuli kutchery’ in PP-16, Public Secretariat to hear public complaints. A large number of citizens attended the ‘khuli kutchery’ and submitted applications to the provincial minister.

Rashid Hafeez contacted the authorities concerned on the spot and issued orders to resolve the public complaints within possible time frame.

Issues raised by the people included water supply, sewerage, sanitation, construction of roads and streets, electricity, Sui gas and other issues. Addressing the citizens, Rashid Hafeez said the Punjab government was making earnest efforts to resolve the problems of the people by utilizing all available resources.

“In my constituency, dozens of water supply projects have been completed during last three years, while many more are underway.

We have also done more to solve problems than the past regime,” he said.

The provincial minister said the elected members on the directives of Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar visit their constituencies regularly and hold weekly ‘khuli kutcheries’ to know the public issues of their constituencies and make all-out efforts to solve them. He urged the citizens to assist the administration in cleaning the city and dump their household garbage only at the designated places so that the sanitation staff could pick it up easily and maintain a healthy environment.