Pakistani women gather to buy bags of wheat flour on control rates at the Ramadan Bazaar in Lahore on August 23, 2009 on the first day of Ramzan. - AFP

ISLAMABAD District administrations of Rawalpindi and Islamabad imposed fines worth Rs167,000 during price checking in various markets and fair-price bazaars on Sunday, officials said.

Magistrates of the Rawalpindi administration conducted 847 visits to various retail, wholesale markets and fair-price bazaars and lodged FIRs against 37 shopkeepers for not refraining from profiteering during Ramazan.

According to the commissioner's office, 18 people were arrested for not complying with the agreement between the administration and the traders about curbing price hike.

The magistrates imposed fines worth Rs124,000, while Commissioner Rawalpindi Zahid Saeed told Dawn that the administration was dealing strictly with the profiteers to stabilise the prices in retail markets also.

Mr Saeed said 42 Sasta bazaars organised by the administration had started functioning in the Rawalpindi division, these includes 17 in the district and nine in Rawalpindi city. These bazaars have been organised on the instruction of the Punjab government.

The purpose of these bazaars was to provide relief to common citizens and resist the monopolistic tactics of retailers so that they do not take advantage of heavy buying, Mr Saeed said.

Whereas the Islamabad administration took action against 30 profiteers during special price checking drive in the markets and weekly bazaars on Sunday and imposed Rs25,000 fines on the profiteers on the first day of Ramazan.

Price checking was carried out in all areas of the city, including the rural zone and weekly bazaars.

Assistant Commissioner (Rural) Naila Baqar conducted raids in Koral and Sihala areas on the outskirts of the city and imposed Rs4,100 fines on nine profiteers for overcharging and not displaying the rate list.

The magistrates told the shopkeepers to display the rate list and charge the official rates.

They also took samples of different food items including flour, ghee, tea, milk, mineral water, different spices, gram flour, etc. and sent them to the laboratory for quality tests.

The magistrates received six complaints from the G-7 Sasta bazaar, which were redressed immediately and Rs4,000 fine was imposed on six stall holders.