Sindh govt to begin crackdown on profiteers and hoarders

KARACHI, June 6: Chief Secretary Sindh Dr Muhammad Sohail Rajput directed all the divisional commissioners to take stern action against profiteers and hoarders and impose heavy fines and seal the business for a long time if found unsatisfactory.
He said this while presiding over an important meeting on prices control of essential commodities in the province.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Karachi Muhammad Iqbal Memon, Secretary Food Raja KhuramShahzad, Secretary Agriculture Supply and Price Aijaz Ahmed Mahesar, and other participants including Commissioner Hyderabad, Commissioner Sukkur, Commissioner ShaheedBenazirabad and Commissioner Larkana through video link.
In the meeting, the Divisional Commissioners while briefing about the action taken in the month of May 2022 regarding price control said that 10371 shops were inspected in the month of May in the province and a fine of Rs. 34,16,200 (Thirty Four lakh, sixteen thousand two hundred rupees ) was imposed on unsatisfactory 1137 units.
In Karachi 672 profiteers were fined Rs 29,62000, in Hyderabad division 200 unsatisfactory units were fined 342500, in Larkana 62 shopkeepers were fined 21000, in MirpurKhas 27 units were fined 15000 ShaheedBenazirabad A fine of Rs 53,000 was imposed on 100 units.
In the meeting, Chief Secretary Sindh said that heavy fines should be imposed on profiteers and business should be sealed for a long time and make them to follow government rates. He directed the commissioners to monitor the action against the profiteers themselves.
Instructing the Commissioner Karachi to meet the representatives of Flour Mill Association, he said that there was no shortage of wheat in the city and yet why the price of flour in the city was higher than other cities. He said that in any case the prices of flour, ghee and sugar in Karachi should be controlled.
He said that he had received complaints of hoarding of flour and ghee in the city and Commissioner Karachi himself should take action against hoarding of flour and ghee and there should be no hoarders in any mill or super store. -NNI