PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court on Thursday sought detailed report from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government about steps taken by it to control hike in prices of essential commodities including number of inspections carried out by the administration.

A bench consisting of Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Wiqar Ahmad directed the government to ramp up their efforts against elements involved in price hike and hoarding of essential commodities in the month of Ramazan.

The bench fixed Mar 28 for the next hearing of a petition filed by a Peshawar resident, Malik Ahmad Javed, requesting the court to direct the federal and KP governments as well as deputy commissioners in the province to take immediate action against profiteers and hoarders, who, he insisted, were violating the law by not following the government’s price lists for essential commodities.

Advocate General Shah Faisal Uthmankhel appeared along with several senior officers including additional chief secretary home and tribal affairs, Mohammad Abid Majeed, secretary planning and development Khayyam Hassan, secretary food Zareef Mani and others.

Additional chief secretary home asked to monitor the situation to provide maximum relief to people

The petitioner’s lawyer, Abbas Khan Sangeen, requested the court to direct the governments and deputy commissioners to ensure that all shopkeepers, retailers and service providers display the notified price lists for all essential items on their premises and service-providing units to avoid any inconvenience to the people.

He contended that the profiteers and hoarders had been carrying out their illegal activities unchecked. He claimed that while price lists were issued by the administration that had not been followed by the shopkeepers.

AG Shah Faisal Uthmankhel contended that as compared to last year the hike in prices of important commodities had was much less. He said that so far around 52,000 inspections had been carried out across the province by the administrative officers and officers of other departments and they had also imposed fines on violators.

Justice Ijaz Anwar observed that while the government had fixed price of beef and mutton at rate of Rs750 and Rs1,500 per kg, respectively, but these items were not available anywhere on the said rates.

Justice Wiqar also observed that while the administration was imposing fines on violators and data was also compiled but the situation had not been improving. The judge observed that such a mechanism should be devised that the common people should get relief.

While agreeing with the observations of the bench, the ACS Abid Majeed said that 15 days prior to the month of Ramazan plan was chalked out and instructions were issued to all the administrative officers for price control and its implementation for Ramazan.

He stated that the deputy commissioners were instructed to take into confidence other stake holders so as to jointly control prices.

The ACS claimed that as compared to last year the hike in prices was reduced around 28 to 31 percent.

He added that there were certain ground realities which couldn’t be ignored as in the month of Ramazan the consumption of certain items increased manifold including meat, sugar, onion, etc., which also effected its prices.

The ACS said that they had been making efforts on emergency basis to ensure availability of essential items in the market, but the consumers should also realise these facts and should reduce consumptions of such items whose supply was short.

He pointed out that the prices of items at vegetable market was fixed early in the morning by officials of the food department and that of KP Good Safety and Halal Food Authority.

The bench asked the ACS to personally monitor the situation so as to provide maximum possible relief to the people.

Meanwhile, in the light of observations of the high court, the home department on Thursday issued instructions to all the secretaries of the concerned departments, deputy commissioners and other officers.

The administrative officers have been instructed to drastically increase the overall volume of inspections of shops/sale points, take strict action against all those involved in illegal practices, and propose changes in various legal instruments that were being implemented by them in this regard.

They were further instructed to implement a proper time frame regarding sealing and de-sealing of the food businesses involved and caught while doing illegal practices and include wholesalers, manufacturers and retailers instead of snap sealing and de-sealing practice in vogue.

The Food Safety and Halal Food Authority has also been asked to ensure that its field teams were actively involved in inspections and that senior officers should personally visit bazars and inspect food businesses.

The government has asked the officers of food, agriculture, livestock, industries and labour departments to increase the imposition of fines, registration of FIRs, arrests and sealing of premises, etc and also to carry out special drives.

The food department was also asked to check its laws and suggests amendments wherever required preferably related to list of essential commodities, disposal of seized items, revision of fines and penalties and sealing and de-sealing of business premises.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2024