KARACHI, Oct 27: The City government has decided to continue price checking campaign and will also request the provincial government to let it handle the fixing and checking of sugar and flour prices.
“Some of our officials, who got the magisterial powers, are in the process of returning from the interior Sindh and many have returned. Hopefully we will start the random price checking from Monday,” Additional Executive District Officer (EDO) Revenue and Price Checking Incharge of Karachi Matanat Ali Khan told Dawn on Friday.
He said he was also preparing a report in which he would request the provincial government to allow the city government for fixing and checking the prices of sugar and flour varieties.
He said that there were many items like tetra-pack powder and liquid milk whose prices were not monitored and the companies virtually enjoyed monopoly. “The city government will also look into this matter,” he indicated.
Mr Matanat said that the city government would continue its checking campaign on those prices which had been fixed for Ramazan till the Enterprise and Investment Promotion Department of the City government comes out with new prices.
He agreed that the officials with magisterial powers were few in numbers but he claimed that they had made difference in the market during the holy month which could be gauged from phenomenal increase in fines and amount recovered as compared to last year.
According to updated figures (from September 25 to October 25) – some 157 people had been sent to jails for overcharging and fleecing consumers. A total of Rs10.31 million had been recovered as a fine from 7,867 traders in which fruit sellers topped with 2,368 (Rs1.56 million). Some 1,153 vegetable dealers had been booked for overcharging and Rs625,880 had been recovered as a fine. A sum of Rs4.73 million had been recovered from 1,645 milk retailers for violating official price while Rs1.24 million had been netted from 677 meat sellers. And Rs4.3 million had been recovered from 1,670 grocery items sellers.
Even, the EDO claimed, that some leading departmental stores had been raided while wholesalers of milk had also been booked for overcharging.
It may be noted here that consumers usually witnessed price spiral in those items soon after Ramazan whose rates had been forcibly reduced by the city government. However, it is to be seen how the city government handles the issue when it resumes price checking after the markets will re-open on Saturday and full fledged business will pick up pace from next Monday
It may be noted here that consumers usually witnessed price spiral in those items soon after Ramazan whose rates had been forcibly reduced by the city government. However, it is to be seen how the city government control the prices when it resumes price checking after reopening of markets on Saturday. Business will pick up pace from next Monday.
General Secretary Karachi Retail Grocers Group Farid Qureshi said that the retailers would be ready to welcome the continuation of price checking campaign provided the government first ensures supply of essential items at reduced rates.
In case the government fails to ensure supplies at reduced rates it will be hard for the retailers to sell at official rates. “We will talk to the Governor Sindh on this issue and chalk out our future strategy in the next few days,” he added.
