PESHAWAR, Oct 14: NWFP Chief Secretary Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi has directed all district coordination officers (DCOs) to make all-out efforts to ensure availability of essential commodities at reasonable rates during the last days of Ramazan.

In a circular issued on Saturday to the inspectors-general of police, the secretary food and all DCOs, the chief secretary regretted that despite his previous directives, there were reports of overpricing from a majority of the districts.

Prices of essential commodities had significantly increased in all districts of the province, except for the districts of Swabi, Lower Dir, Karak and Swat, and people had lost confidence in the price control committees and price magistrates, said the circular.