Punjab governor signs amended ordinance for action against profiteers

LAHORE: Soon after media highlighted overpricing of food items and accommodation in Murree, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar signed an amended ordinance for action against profiteers in the province.

According to the new act, profiteers and hoarders would pay a fine of Rs1,000 to 100,000 with imprisonment of one month to a year.

Read more: PM Imran directs to take action against hoarding, profiteering of fertilisers

Speaking on the occasion on Friday, the Punjab governor said that profiteers and hoarders would be treated with iron hands.

On November 30, 2021, Prime Minister Imran Khan had directed the relevant authorities to take legal actions against the elements involved in the hoarding and profiteering of fertilisers.

The premier had said this while chairing a meeting in Islamabad with the agenda to review the current stock and prices of fertiliser in the country.

PM Imran, during the meeting, was told that an online portal had been developed to monitor the supply of fertilisers, enabling the provincial and district administrations to keep a check on the movement of fertilisers.

Read more: Crackdown against fertiliser hoarders, profiteers ordered

The participants of the meeting were also informed that following the last week’s direction of PM Imran to take measures against hoarding, the price of fertiliser registered an average decrease of Rs400 per bag.