KARACHI, Dec 27: The City District Government Karachi (CDGK) is contemplating to request the Sindh government to confer magisterial powers on its officers to control prices of edible items.

Sources in city government said that the CDGK is of firm opinion that magisterial powers to its officers, drive against price hike could not be launched effectively.

"For this purpose, it has made several references to the authorities concerned, but in vain, and profiteer are fleecing consumers, sources said, adding a request would again be made and a draft summary has almost been finalized to move it to the provincial government.

Such powers were conferred on CDGK officers in Ramzan-ul-Mubarak. But they were stripped off such powers after the holy month, which gave the profiteers a free hand to charge prices at their whim.

Prices of different items registered are on the rise and practical steps are needed to check prices. At present, the city government is unable to proceed as no system of price checking and monitoring is provided in the Local Government System 2001.

The Sindh Government is likely to be requested to confer magisterial powers on officers of CDGK without any condition of LLB degree and magisterial experience of six months so that they could check prices.

The condition of LLB degree and magisterial experience of six months had disqualified 10, out of a total 18 DDOs of magisterial powers. The remaining eight officers proved insufficient to check prices in the metropolis. -PPI