27 February 2005	Sunday	17 Muharram 1426

KARACHI, Feb 26: City Nazim Naimatullah Khan has again urged the law department, government of Sindh, to confer magisterial powers to officials for price checking.

He said that the federal and provincial governments are repeatedly directing the city government to take action against profiteers, but it cannot take action without having magisterial powers to its officers.

The City Nazim asked the law department to give consideration to the request of magisterial powers as the matter is of prime importance because poor people are at the mercy of profiteers and the government is helplessly watching the situation with no immediate remedial measures for which it is being criticised by the affected people.

In his letter sent on Feb 26, he reminded the law department that during Ramazan 2002, 2003 and 2004, the DDOs Revenue, who were entrusted powers of the special judicial magistrates by the home department on the recommendation of Sindh High Court, successfully conducted the price check campaign as they were provided notified maximum prices of such commodities fixed by the District Coordination Officer (DCO).

On Saturday, as many as 48 milk retailers were arrested for overcharging, while 347 retailers were issued warnings.