Punjab Cracks Down on Profiteering, 194 Arrested

By Muhammad Shahzad
Lahore, Pakistan

LAHORE: Authorities in Pakistan’s Punjab province have intensified a province-wide crackdown on profiteering and hoarding, arresting 194 people and imposing millions of rupees in fines, officials said on Sunday.

According to a spokesperson for the Punjab Price Control and Commodities Management Department, the action was carried out on the directives of Secretary Price Control Dr Kiran Khurshid. Price control magistrates conducted inspections at 86,612 locations across multiple districts, taking legal action against more than 5,900 violators.

During the operations, 17 cases were registered, fines exceeding Rs7.298 million were imposed, and two shops were sealed for repeated violations.

To ensure the availability of wheat flour at government-notified rates, officials inspected 5,598 locations. Action was taken against 409 individuals involved in flour profiteering, resulting in two cases being registered and 11 arrests.

The crackdown also targeted the sale of chicken meat at inflated prices. Authorities took action against 471 butchers, registering three cases, making 24 arrests, and imposing fines amounting to Rs385,000.

Similarly, enforcement teams carried out operations against tandoor owners found selling bread at higher prices or underweight. Three cases were registered against 872 tandoor owners, and 22 arrests were made.

The spokesperson added that measures against sugar profiteering have also been tightened. Action was taken against 541 shopkeepers for selling sugar above official rates, with two cases registered, 19 arrests made, fines of Rs516,000 imposed, and five shops sealed.

Officials said the crackdown would continue in order to ensure the availability of essential commodities at officially notified prices and to protect consumers from exploitation.