Daily Times

A meeting was held here to review the supply of discounted food items in the Ramzan bazaars established in the three districts of Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, and Rahim Yar Khan.

Analysis of performances of price control magistrates, wheat procurement, abundance of agricultural fertilizers, measures taken against the artificial shortage of fuel, and speed of work on performance indicators were also discussed.

Commissioner Bahawalpur Division Captain (Retd) Muhammad Zafar Iqbal chaired the session, which was attended by Deputy Commissioner Bahawalpur Irfan Ali Kathia, Deputy Commissioner Rahim Yar Khan Mehtab Wasim Azhar, Additional Commissioner Consolidation Syed Tariq Bukhari, and Assistant Commissioner General Liaquat Ali Gilani among others.

The attendees were told that sugar is being sold at Rs. 75 per kg and 10 kg bag of flour at Rs. 400 at Ramzan Bazaars. More than 0.1 million consumers are benefiting from these bazaars on daily basis.

The Price Control Magistrates had inspected 5,633 places across the division during the current week and imposed a total fine of Rs. 1.406 million. Cases were registered against 76 persons, while 232 violators were arrested.

Moreover, the participants were informed that 28 check posts have been set up across the division to control the illegal transportation of wheat. The police recovered 618 bags of wheat and registered 35 cases against illegal smugglers of wheat.

The authorities carried out crackdowns against those involved in the artificial shortage of petroleum products. In this regard, 776 places were inspected throughout the division during the week and 6 petrol pumps were sealed, while 1 case was registered. During an operation in the Bahawalnagar district, 0.15 million liters of diesel and 7 oil tankers were seized and a total fine of Rs. 0.993 million was imposed across the division.

Commissioner Iqbal instructed that all measures should be taken to maintain a balance between supply and demand of petroleum products and those involved in stockpiling fuel should be dealt with iron hands.

Zafar Iqbal further stated that the officials of petroleum companies should be taken on board and the system of uninterrupted supply of petroleum products should be made more efficient. The commissioner directed that no negligence will be tolerated in this regard.