RAWALPINDI: District special price magistrates on Thursday imposed fines amounting to Rs409,000 on 30 shopkeepers for profiteering.

On the directives of Deputy Commissioner Chaudhry Mohammad Ali Randhawa, assistant commissioners and special price magistrates launched a campaign against hoarding and profiteering.

In the tehsils of Rawalpindi, Murree, Taxila, Gujar Khan, Kahuta, Kotli Sattian and Kalar Syedan, the assistant commissioners visited different markets and bazaars to check the prices of essential food items.

Meanwhile, Punjab Food Authority (PFA) sealed a store for selling prohibited products on Thursday.

Teams from the authority also fined seven food business operators Rs60,000.

The action was taken during a food inspection drive in the Rawalpindi division.

The PFA sealed Mashallah General Store for selling gutka and expired food products. The teams also witnessed poor cleanliness arrangements. The sale of gutka is prohibited in Punjab.

Food safety teams imposed Rs46,000 fines on five eateries in Rawalpindi, Rs4,000 in Jhelum and Rs10,000 in Chakwal for violating the Punjab Pure Food Regulations 2018.

A huge quantity of unwholesome food was also discarded and warning issued to hundreds of eateries.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2019