Prices of 50 daily-use items fixed

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Industries and Production has issued a notification regarding the fixation of prices of 50 daily-use items including essential kitchen items.

In this regard a notification, “in exercise of the powers conferred by section 12 of the Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Act, 1977 (XXIX of 1977)” has directed the Controller General of Prices and Supplies to monitor and fix the prices of a total 50 items.

This order shall be called the Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Order, 2021.

In part one of the notification, a total 15 items are mentioned including, edible oils, hydrogenated or otherwise; processed meat; tea; powdered milk; milk food for infants; aerated water; fruit juices/squashes; chemical fertilizers of all sorts; cement; caustic soda; soda ash; bicycles, motorcycles, trucks, tractors, cars, light commercial vehicle (LCV) , heavy commercial vehicle (HCV), sports utility vehicle (SUV), buses and trailers; face masks, oxygen cylinder, hand sanitizers; iron and steel; and tyres (all types).

Whereas, the part two of the notification includes white sugar, and wheat.

Prices of most essential kitchen items witness upward trend

Part three of the notification include milk, salt, potatoes, onion, pulses all sorts, fish all sorts, beef, mutton, eggs, gur, spices and vegetables, red chillies, charcoal, firewood, matches 40 and 50 sticks, coal, poultry feed bricks; phutti (seed cotton); cotton (lint); cotton seed all sorts; wool, shoddy or raw, paddy (rice), ice, pesticides, meat on hoof, and roti and naan (tandoori), fruits and vegetables; meda/ suji; gram flour, bread (double roti); curd, and live poultry and poultry meat.

The notification has defined the Controller General of prices and supplies as following: Without prejudice to the powers of Controller General exercisable by any other officer appointed as such under this order,- (a) the Secretary of the Division concerned shall exercise the powers of Controller General under this Order in respect of the commodities specified in PART-I of the Schedule; and (b) in respect of the commodities specified in PART-II of the Schedule, the secretary of the division to which business of national food security and research stands allocated shall exercise the powers of Controller General under this Order; and (c) in respect of the commodities specified in PART-III of the schedule, the secretary of the Interior Division to the extent of Islamabad Capital Territory and the secretary or director of the industries department of the concerned provincial government to the extent of the province and the deputy commissioner of the concerned district to the extent of the district, shall exercise the powers of controller general under this order.

The Controller General will have following powers and functions: For the purpose of exercising powers and performing functions under the Act and this Order, a Controller General in his respective jurisdiction may–

(a) seek monthly or periodical statements or record from a producer, dealer, importer or their representatives as and when required;

(b) enter and search any premises of any trade association registered as such under the Trade Organizations Act, 2013 (II of 2013) and verify the information provided by such association;

(c) seek documents or record from third parties for the purposes of this Order and such third parties shall provide the necessary assistance;

(d) fix the price of an essential commodity for any category or tier of available brands in the case of differentiated commodities, after completing the procedure provided for in the Act and this Order; and (e) seek record and assistance of relevant organizations including the Federal Board of Revenue, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan and the Competition Commission of Pakistan for the purpose of fixation of the price of essential commodities and such assistance shall be rendered within the timelines as the Controller General may direct.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021