RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Punjab government has intensified the ongoing crackdown on profiteers and hoarders across the province, arresting 49 persons, lodging 68 FIRs, and imposing fines of Rs 23.8 million on shopkeepers for overcharging consumers. The authorities also recovered thousands of kilograms hoarded sugar, rice, flour, and ghee in different cities.

According to a report presented at a meeting held at the civil secretariat to review price control measures, officials seized 10,594 sacks of sugar, 2,367 sacks of rice, 20 sacks of wheat, 1,537 bags of flour, 1,393 litres of cooking oil, and 5,770 kg of stored ghee during the action against hoarders.

According to the report, the authorities found 41 wholesalers involved in hoarding and sealed 13 warehouses in raids carried out at 1247 places in Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Gujarat, Sheikhupura, Attock, Mianwali, Sargodha and Bhakkar.

The meeting chaired by Punjab Minister for Agriculture Hussain Jahanian Gardezi, reviewed the prices and availability of commodities and decided to take special measures to improve the supply of sugar.