LAHORE: Taking action against the people posing themselves as government officials and fleecing the vendors in open markets, a team of the city district administration got three individuals arrested for impersonating price control magistrates.

Lahore Deputy Commissioner Syed Musa Raza said the Nishtar tehsil Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Saleem Aasi acted promptly upon receiving a tip-off, catching the accused for deceiving shopkeepers.

The trio, who falsely presented themselves as authorised price control magistrates after being caught, were immediately handed over to the police with cases registered against them.

“I urge the public to report any suspicious activity directly to the administration, its social media platforms. This crackdown reflects the administration’s broader strategy to curb profiteering, blackmailing and fraudulent practices, ensuring relief and fairness for Lahore’s residents. Alongside this, the administration continues to intensify its monitoring of markets, with genuine price control magistrates actively deployed to enforce official rates and tackle overpricing,” said DC Raza.

Meanwhile, the city administration in a crackdown on illegal parking stands, got two private men arrested for overcharging at a parking stand. According to a spokesman, a vigorous campaign has been launched against illegal parking stands, delivering a blow to exploitative practices across the city.

In a targeted operation in Model Town led by Assistant Commissioner Abdul Basit Siddiqui, the team got two private individuals arrested for overcharging motorcyclists. The offenders were found extorting Rs50 instead of Rs20 per person.

The city admin’s price control magistrates on Monday imposed fines amounting to Rs200,000 on the vendors for flouting price lists. The teams also issued 96 stern warnings to vendors besides getting one arrested on the spot with a case registered against him.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2025