LAHORE: The commissioner of Lahore division on Tuesday presented before the Lahore High Court a mechanism to control prices and supply of the essential commodities, especially sugar, ghee, chicken meat/eggs, vegetables, fruits and flour, during the holy month of Ramzan.

A written report submitted by Commissioner Muhammad Usman said a mechanism for price control and supply chain had been devised which would be implemented as a pilot project for the five essential commodities.

As per the proposed mechanism, officers of the provincial government will look after various commodities. They will not only fix the prices of those commodities but also take steps to monitor the supply of that commodity and intervene whenever required. These officers will be called controller generals.

The report said the controller generals would be facilitated through an online portal for the registration and monitoring of the producers, importers and dealers. The mechanism had been devised under the Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Act 1977.

Justice Shahid Jamil Khan directed the government to issue the draft notification of the mechanism after some reconsideration within two days and adjourned the hearing till April 1.

The judge was hearing a petition filed by Judicial Activism Panel chairman Azhar Siddique seeking a direction to the government to ensure that the citizens continue to get the essential commodities at controlled prices during Ramzan. He submitted that every year profiteers and hoarders played havoc with the consumers during the fasting month and the authorities concerned remained indifferent to their duties to control prices.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2022