KARACHI: The provincial government on Thursday decided to launch a massive crackdown against profiteers and hoarders to control the prices of essential commodities across the province.

According to official sources, district monitoring committees have been formed to monitor and oversee the price control activity and a smooth supply of essential items in all districts as skyrocketing prices of daily-use commodities have pushed the common man below the subsistence level, mainly in cities.

While the hike in prices of essential commodities has hit people across the province, its major cities such as Karachi and Hyderabad are worst-affected, apparently due to the absence of concrete measures supposed to be taken by the administration.

A survey of markets and bazaars of daily-use items — including dairy products, vegetables, fruit, pulses, etc — revealed that not a single item was being offered to consumers at an officially notified price in any part of Karachi.

In some areas, officers of the city administration, mainly assistant commissioners, took stern action against some shopkeepers by imposing fines on them.

Price control law will be amended to increase powers of inspectors, says CS

Eyewitnesses and customers told Dawn that the district South administration launched a “so-called” action against profiteers which proved to be futile as shopkeepers resumed selling their merchandise at the prices of their choice as soon as the administration staff left the area.

Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, chairing a high-level meeting, said that committees — each headed by a provincial secretary — would also monitor the implementation of the Sindh Essential Commodities Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Act.

Amendment to price control law

He said that the provincial government would amend the existing price control law to give more powers to price control inspectors.

A committee, comprising the home secretary, agriculture secretary and commissioners of Karachi and Hyderabad, was also constituted to prepare a draft for the proposed amendment to the existing price control law.

The meeting was attended, among others, by Home Secretary Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo, Commissioner Karachi Muhammad Iqbal Memon, and secretaries of industries, information technology, food and agriculture departments. All divisional commissioners participated in the meeting via video link.

The chief secretary said that profiteering and hoarding would not be tolerated under any circumstances. He said that committees had been set up in all districts of the province and they would be headed by secretaries, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, SSPs and officials of the Bureau & Supplies to monitor the price control drive.

A notification regarding the constitution of the district monitoring committees was later issued.

The chief secretary also asked district administration officials to visit flour and oil mills and take strict action wherever hoarding was found.

Ramazan relief

CS Rajput said that “Bachat bazaars” would be organised in every tehsil by the provincial government during Ramazan. “Supply of essential items at low prices will be ensured at the bachat bazaars,” he said.

Subsidised flour, he added, would also be made available at the bachat bazaars, he added.

“The maximum fine amount will be increased from Rs30,000 to Rs500,000. Shops of profiteers will be sealed and all items will be offered to consumers at official rates,” he said.

He further said that the section officers and other officers would also be given powers of price checking in Ramazan.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2023