KARACHI: City govt officials have no power to check prices
By Aamir Shafaat Khan
KARACHI, Nov 28: Some Town Nazims have started imposing penalties on retailers and shopkeepers for overcharging and non-display of price lists with a view to “maintain” prices during Ramazan, although they have no such powers.
For example, the Town Nazim of New Karachi on Wednesday imposed fines of Rs11,450 on 24 shopkeepers, involved in overcharging, according to Bureau of Supply and Prices (BSP). Market sources, however, said some Town Nazims of other areas, too, have started imposing fines on retailers.
As far as powers of Town Nazims are concerned, they are bound to check prices only and issue a warning for a legal action under the Ramazan Ordinance, but they are not yet legally authorized to impose fines on retailers, said an official of the Bureau of Supply and Prices.
A Town Nazim confirmed that no notification had been issued entrusting the Town Nazims with the powers to impose fines on retailers.
He said Nazims were powerless and were currently just referring cases of over-charging or non-display of lists to judicial magistrates for a legal action.
Last year, frequent patrolling by SDMs and magistrates, accompanying police inspectors, had controlled profiteering and a sizable number of retailers had been arrested.
Earlier, there was some psychological pressure on retailers, but this time consumers were at the mercy of retailers, as no such fear existed now, said an official of the BSP.
Under the present setup, efforts to check prices during Ramazan have virtually failed as there is no authorized body in the city government to curb profiteering in Ramazan.
People are perturbed over the price-hike, but there was no-body to take cognizance of the situation, said a consumer, adding the city government, after devolution of power in July, had failed to handle the situation in its first assignment.
The Sindh government officials are tight-lipped since all responsibilities have been entrusted to the City Government, but the Town Nazims are still powerless to impose a fine.
Meanwhile, Bureau of Supply and Prices has been active since last few days to play its role to curb spiral. As many as 103 shopkeepers, involved in overcharging and non-display of price lists, have been fined Rs 57,450 during November 24 to 27.
The Judicial Magistrate, with inspectors of BSP, visited many retail shops in the city, and caught 57 retailers on spot, whereas 46 shopkeepers were warned to avoid violation of Price Control Act, 1977, bringing the total number of shopkeepers to 103.
On Wednesday, 25 shopkeepers were imposed fines to the tune of Rs 9,500 in Gulberg, Malir and Gulshan Towns.
A BSP official said the prices of 17 items have fallen in Ramazan while there had been an increase in prices of five items owing to a rise in their demand.
The Bureau said the price of potato surged by 11.11 per cent during the last eleven days. It was now being sold at Rs 15 a kg as compared to its pre-Ramazan price of Rs 13.50 per kg. The price of peas increased by 2.77 per cent.
Mosami price increased to Rs 22 per dozen from Rs 20 per dozen. The price of Guava rose by 22.22 per cent and 37.50 per cent respectively.
