KARACHI: The Sindh administration on Monday finally decided to launch a massive crackdown against profiteers and hoarders across the province as Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah took serious notice of artificial price hike, directing the chief secretary to help the district administrations control prices regularly.

The decision was taken apparently on the media reports of skyrocketing prices of essential commodities such as flour, pulses, vegetables, fruits and dairy products, especially in urban parts of the province, including Karachi.

Irked by price hike, the CM directed Chief Secretary Sohail Ahmed Rajput to move district administrations to check price lists, stocks of commodities and their supply in the market.

He asked the administrations to assess demand of the market and play their due role to ensure appropriate supply of essential commodities. “I will not tolerate artificial price hike and hoarding,” he warned.

The CM said the devastating floods and heavy rains had destroyed standing crops, particularly of vegetables, therefore a gap between supply and demand widened. “Taking benefit of the situation, the hoarders created artificial shortage of vegetables, fruits and other edibles, and the prices of the commodities skyrocketed,” he said.

Commissioners told to control market rate, ensure availability of subsidised flour

Following the CM’s direction, the chief secretary chaired a meeting and directed the divisional commissioners to take a stern action against profiteers.

Food Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla participated in the meeting through video link while Home Secretary Saeed Ahmed Mangrijo, Karachi Commissioner Muhammad Iqbal Memon, Food Secretary Raja Khurram Shehzad Umar, General Administration Secretary Muhammad Hanif Chana and all divisional and deputy commissioners attended the meeting.

The chief secretary said the provincial government had sufficient stock of wheat available and it would continue supplying wheat flour at subsidised rates to the people. “The administration should also control the open market rate of flour and take action against the profiteers,” he said.

He directed all the commissioners to visit the subsidised flour points established by the district administrations and food department.

Mr Rajput said that security should also be ensured at the flour points where police and Rangers personnel would provide security in that regard.

It was decided in the meeting that the crackdown would be initiated across the province against the alleged hoardings by flour mills and 100 per cent grinding of wheat released by the government would be ensured.

It was decided in the meeting that the number of price control magistrates in the province would also be increased.

The food minister told the meeting that the subsidised flour points had also been increased across the province.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2023