Provincial Minister for Industries & Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal has directed that continuous monitoring of prices of 18 essential items including flour, ghee and pulses should be done in all the districts of the province. In a statement issued here today, the minister said the line departments should keep a vigilant eye on availability, quality and prices of essential items as it’s their responsibility to ensure their sale on fixed rates. Price-control magistrates should also remain active in the field and discharge their duties diligently. He said that a vigorous crackdown should be continued in the province against illegal profiteers and hoarders. The instructions issued in line with the decisions made by the taskforce on price-control should be ensured in toto, he added. He made it clear that any inordinate delay in the redressal of complaints received through the toll-free numbers is not tolerable and action will be initiated against the persons showing negligence in the redressal of complaints received in connection with the prices of daily-use items. Mian Aslam Iqbal further directed the line departments to take immediate action against elements involved in price-hike, variation in measurement and sale of substandard items. He said the officers associated with the mechanism of price-control should remain available in the field to provide relief to the masses. It is time to serve the masses instead of sitting in air-conditioned rooms as the government has taken concrete steps to provide quality items on subsidized rates, he added. He said that model bazaars are being set up throughout the province to provide substantial relief to the public and it has also been decided to introduce a new system of fair-price shops in the province, concluded the minister.
