PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Wednesday expressed concern about the increasing prices of essential commodities, especially edible ones, and summoned the federal food secretary and adviser to the chief minister on food today (Thursday) to inform it about steps taken to check price hike during Ramazan.

A bench consisting of Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Syed M Attique Shah directed all deputy commissioners in the province to visit their respective markets and enforce official rates of essential items.

It also ordered the administrations, Federal Investigation Agency and National Accountability Bureau to act against hoarders and profiteers.

High court also orders crackdown on hoarders, profiteers

The bench wondered why the government functionaries are not taking action against those involved in hoarding and price hike.

The chief justice asked several officers, who had showed up on the court’s notice, if they would act over the excessive prices of edible items only after the people begin dying from starvation and malnourishment.

The bench was hearing a petition about hike in the prices of essential commodities, whose notice was taken by it last year.

Provincial advocate general Shumail Butt and deputy attorney general Tauseef Ahmad appeared for the provincial and federal government, respectively.

Food secretary Khushal Khan also turned up along with the director general livestock, deputy commissioners of Peshawar and Khyber along with other officials.

On the court’s query about the shortage and excessive prices of poultry products, the food secretary and DG (livestock) claimed that 65 per cent of the province’s poultry demand was met by supplies from Punjab, while the rest of poultry products were produced locally.

The chief justice asked them why the food department isn’t taking steps to ensure the adequate poultry production within the province to meet demands.

The officers said the local poultry industry had reduced production due to losses.

The chief justice observed that it appeared, the authorities had no plans for the survival of that industry.

Advocate general Shumail Butt informed the bench that the government had set up 81 sasta bazaars in the province, where sugar was sold for Rs85 per kg.

The bench also asked the deputy commissioner of Peshawar if sugar is available on the open market at the rate fixed by the government.

It observed that the officers had to come out of their offices and ensure the provision of relief to the people to show the people that the state machinery is functional.

The deputy commissioner said 20kg wheat flour bag was sold in sasta bazaars at the subsidised rate of Rs860.

He added that fruit and vegetable dealers had been compelled to provide discount of Rs5 per kg on different items.

The chief justice observed that if exports of different items, including poultry products, to neighbouring countries didn’t benefit people and created their shortages in the country, then their exports should be stopped.

The bench adjourned the hearing into the case until today (Thursday) directing the officials to submit a report on the issue.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2021