TAXILA: The local administration on Saturday inaugurated a special Ramazan Bazaar to provide essential food items to consumers at subsidised rates.

Vendors were directed to display rate lists at various places in their stalls.

The bazaar established along G.T. Road near Taxila’s Main Chowk aims to ensure availability of flour, sugar, ghee, chicken, vegetables, fruits, and other household items at prices lower than those in the open market.

“The main purpose of these bazaars is to ensure availability of essential kitchen items to the general public at controlled rates during the holy month of Ramazan,” said Assistant Commissioner Zaryab Sajid Kamboh while talking to newsmen after the formal inauguration of the bazaar. He emphasized the importance of ensuring affordability of quality products.

He said tehsil officers will oversee the supply and distribution of subsidised edibles to the residents.

Responding to a question, Mr Kamboh said that any stall selling expensive and unhealthy vegetables and fruits will be shut down after imposition of a heavy fine. Prices will be prominently displayed at each stall and the bazaars will be cleaned up on a daily basis for which permanent sanitary workers are being appointed.

About profiteering by shopkeepers and hoarders, the assistant commissioner said the local administration was taking rigorous measures to combat profiteering, hoarding, and artificial shortage of food items during and after Ramazan.

He added that revenue department officers, including tehsildars, as well other designated government officials will serve as temporary price magistrates during the holy month to ensure availability of daily commodities to the masses at the official rates and take to task the violators accordingly.

“Under the directives of the deputy commissioner Rawalpindi Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema, the magistrates also ensured display of price list at shops,” he added.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2025