PESHAWAR/MANSEHRA: The Peshawar district administration on Monday arrested 124 shopkeepers and vendors for profiteering, and also issued notices to managers of six banks over failure to enforce lockdown guidelines on their premises.

The arrests were made during raids in the areas of GT Road, Warsak Road, Chamkani, Inqilab Road, Phandu, Charsadda Road, Peshtakhara, Bara Road, Hayatabad, Nauthia, Tehkal, University Road, Dilazak Road, Qamardin Gharhi and Kohat Road, according to a statement.

Also, a team of officials headed by additional assistant commissioner Gulshan Ara visited the banks located on different roads in cantonment areas, and banks’ officials not ensuring social distancing as a large number of people was waiting both inside and outside the buildings.

The managers were issued notices for not enforcing the Covid-19 SOP. The officials also instructed the public to maintain social distancing to help contain spread of coronavirus.

Also in the day, a meeting chaired by deputy commissioner Mohammad Ali Asghar set up a special taskforce led by additional deputy commissioner Ashfaq Khan to ensure enforcement of Section 144 and take legal action against those violating the law.

The participants pointed out that shopkeepers in various localities, doing business of merchandise, had started opening their shops while keeping their shutters half down, which was in violation of the government’s initiatives to control coronavirus.

The taskforce was asked to strictly check overcharging and take action against the profiteers. It was decided that those found violating the lockdown would face a 15-day imprisonment.

Meanwhile, Mansehra police claim to have arrested 160 people for violating the lockdown, and 40 suspects in the recent weeks.

Talking to reporters on Monday, district police officer Sadiq Baloch said in order to enforce National Action Plan over 400 snap checkings were carried out across the district in recent weeks and 40 outlaws were arrested and huge cache of arms and ammunition was seized from their possessions.He said a large quantity of narcotics was also seized and many peddlers were arrested.

He said a complaint cell set up at his office had received nine complaints, and eight of them had been addressed.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2020