RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi divisional administration on Tuesday issued new directions to arrest shopkeepers and owners of large grocery stores allegedly involved in overcharging for five days and seal their outlets. Earlier, under the price committee rules, the price magistrate would arrest the shopkeepers for overcharging for three days and seal the shop for 24 hours.

The new directives were issued following a meeting held under Rawalpindi Commissioner Amir Khattak and attended by Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema.

Commissioner Amir Khattak directed that price magistrates should remain vigilant in the field to ensure the delivery of essential items at notified rates, especially during the holy month.

He directed the deputy commissioners of six districts of Rawalpindi division that the price magistrates who were not performing their duties properly should be given show-cause notices and be surrendered if they still didn’t improve.

“Their negligence causes problems for the people in the form of inflation,” he added.

The commissioner said that at least five days imprisonment and sealing of shops should be ensured for those involved in profiteering.

He said that actions should be taken against all violations reported.

The commissioner said that the performance of magistrates in all the districts should be monitored using geo-tagging of field visits.

Rawalpindi deputy commissioner, additional commissioner coordination, director of local government and other concerned officers attended the review meeting.

Mr Khattak further said that price control magistrates should sense their responsibilities and ensure attendance in their markets so that consumers could know that the state was proactively protecting their rights.

He said that deputy commissioners should ensure monitoring of the performance of price control magistrates individually.

It was told during the meeting that actions were taken against hoarders and illegal profiteers during the last 24 hours.

“Around 25,921 inspections were conducted across the division in which 995 violations were reported. During these inspections, a cumulative fine of Rs800,000 was imposed, three FIRs were registered, 47 premises were sealed and 52 persons were arrested.”

On the other hand, citizens reported that there was no check on the roadside food stalls and shops that were selling sub-standard food stuff under unhygienic conditions without any monitoring by the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board and Punjab Food Authority.

At various locations on Bank Road, Mall Road, Hospital Road, Murree Road and Raja Bazaar, food stalls were set up without official oversight, they said.

According to the Punjab Pure Food Act, shopkeepers are supposed to keep their shops neat and clean and all food items must be covered properly.

However, the civic bodies’ food inspectors reportedly visited bazaars only when ministers or other high officials visited the bazaars.

Due to the sale of substandard food items, the number of patients in three government-run hospitals has also reportedly increased in the last three days of Ramazan. Most patients complain of stomach problems like vomiting and diarrhoea.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2025