Daily Times

Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Muhammad Ali has advised citizens to use ‘Qeemat Punjab App’ to lodge complaints against the hoarders and profiteers. He also asked the citizens to lodge complaints on helpline 080002345 to help the administration in controlling the prices of essential commodities.

“The App has been developed for good use of the public to know about the daily price of fruit and vegetables and essential commodities. If the citizens find any discrepancy in the prices and daily rates, they may lodge the complaints online by using the App,” he said, adding that the App would forward the complaint to the price control magistrate as market and shops would be geo-tagged and the complainant would be notified about resolving the complaint.

According to a spokesperson, the Rawalpindi district administration was regularly conducting raids in all tehsils to check profiteering, hoarding and other violations regarding prices of daily use items.

The price control magistrates have been directed to take a strict action against profiteers and hoarders and ensure availability of food items and other essential commodities as per rates fixed by the government, the spokesperson said. He said that the performance of the price control magistrates was also being monitored and they would be taken to task in case of poor performance.

The deputy commissioner has said that profiteering of food items would not be allowed and traders should strictly adhere to the rates fixed by the government, the spokesperson added.

He said, the authorities concerned were conducting raids and taking action in accordance with the law against the rules violators. Heavy fines were being imposed besides lodging FIRs against those violating orders of the government. On the direction of Commissioner Rawalpindi Division, the district administration conducted 817 raids in different markets of the district to check hoarding and profiteering during current month while 20 shopkeepers were arrested, 28 FIRs were lodged besides imposing Rs 221,000 fines on the violators.

Imported sugar was being sold in 33 sahulat bazaars across Rawalpindi district and so far 331 metric tonnes had been sold in these markets, he informed.

Flour was also being sold at government-fixed rates across the district, he said adding, so far, 289,000 bags of flour had been sold in these markets.