The Punjab Food Safety and Consumer Protection Department has imposed Punjab profiteering fines totalling Rs10.627 million over the past week, Secretary Dr Kiran Khurshid told the media on Wednesday. Enforcement teams also arrested 56 people and sealed 19 premises for breaking price control rules.
The department recorded 19,902 violations involving the sale of essential commodities above officially notified rates. It also found 2,168 locations that were not displaying official price lists, which shoppers rely on to check what they should pay. Officials said the figures cover the whole province over the seven-day period.
Chicken, tomatoes and sugar drew the most checks
Chicken meat was the main focus, with 18,774 inspections. More than 1,400 violations involving overcharging were reported in that category, and the department put the fines for chicken at Rs494,000.
Tomatoes saw 769 overcharging violations, which led to fines of Rs125,500. Sugar was checked in 12,829 inspections, and 574 violations led to action, but no separate fine total for sugar was given.
Enforcement will continue in markets
Dr Khurshid said price control magistrates and enforcement teams were continuing inspections in markets across the province. The aim, she said, is to make sure essential goods are sold at government-notified prices and to give consumers relief from overcharging. Profiteering means charging more than the official rate for essential goods, and the department says it is targeting that practice directly.
She said field inspections were being made more effective, and that action against shopkeepers and traders who violate official price lists would continue in line with the law. Price control magistrates are officials empowered to act against overpricing, and notified rates are the prices set by the government for essential goods.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Punjab mein food safety aur consumer protection department ne pichle hafte mein Rs10.627 million ke jurmaane kiye hain. 56 log giraftar hue aur 19 jagah seal ki gayi. Chicken, tamatar aur cheeni ki checking zyada hui, aur dukandaron ko sarkari rates par cheezein bechni hongi. Aap dukan par price list zaroor dekh sakte hain.
