KARAK: The district administration has warned that strict action will be taken against the traders involved in hoarding and profiteering.

Additional deputy commissioner Nameeullah Marwat issued the warning at a meeting with wholesale dealers and the office-bearers of Anjuman-i-Tajiran the other day.

He asked the traders to ensure availability of daily use items in the markets and avoid increasing rates on their own. Mr Marwat said hoarding was an un-Islamic act and warned that a crackdown would be launched on traders cashing in on the situation arising out of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The traders’ leaders assured of extending all-out cooperation to the district administration in ensuring availability of daily use commodities in the markets.

CORONAVIRUS CASES: Following the emergence of two coronavirus cases in Karak, Khattak Ittehad, a local rights organisation, has demanded putting in place a proper mechanism in the district and tehsil headquarters hospitals to cope with the situation in an efficient way.

Talking to reporters here the other day, the rights body president Hidayatullah Khattak said the health department was not equipped to deal with the situation. He said the hospitals lacked ventilators and other necessary equipment.

He suggested the government to train the doctors to effectively tackle the prevailing situation.

Mr Khattak offered that the rights body would extend every possible support to the health department and the district administration regarding prevention of the fatal disease.

He said the Covid19 could effectively be fought if all stakeholders were on the same page. He said isolation centres should be set up in all hospitals across the district without delay.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2020