Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered strict monitoring of food prices and market regulations during Ramadan, warning that no profiteer should escape punishment while ensuring that no innocent merchant is unjustly targeted.
President of a meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday, the Prime Minister examined the performance of the committee supervising the offer of essential products at reduced prices. He congratulated the Islamabad committee and administration for their efforts in the control of inflation and the guarantee of affordable food supplies.
“We are committed to providing the public maximum during Ramadan,” said Shehbaz, ordering federal ministers and public representatives to regularly visit Ramadan bazaars, fair prices stores and other markets designated to supervise the implementation of price control measures. He underlined the need for continuous monitoring to ensure that citizens receive essential products at fair rates.
During the briefing, officials informed the Prime Minister that 16 facilitation stands, five bazaars of Ramadan, 18 stores at a flat -rate price and various other rescue measures had been implemented in Islamabad. Items such as cooking oil, eggs, legumes, sugar and poultry were sold at lower rates than the market.
To counter hobby and profit, the authorities have carried out 4,915 inspections since the start of Ramadan, causing 785 arrests and fines amounting to Rs728,000. The officials said that online demand was used to monitor the performance of prices magistrates, while Pakistan Bait-Ul-Mal had installed eight locations in the capital to provide free IFTAR meals to disadvantaged citizens.
Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Attaullah Tarar, Talal Chaudhry and other senior officials attended Reunion.
