The government of NWFP has directed all District Co ordination Officers (DCOs) in the province to utilise all mechanism of price control including activating price control committees and price magistrates to ensure availability of essential commodities at reasonable rates during the last days of Ramazan.
The Chief Secretary, Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi, in a letter issued to Inspector General of Police, Secretary Food and all DCOs in NWFP has regretted that despite his previous directives regarding price control, reports indicated below par efforts on part of majority of districts.
The letter says, except Sawabi, Lower Dir, Karak and Swat prices of essential commodities have notably increased in all the districts and general public have been reported to be disillusioned with the working of the price control committees and price magistrates.
The situation is most dismal in Mardan and D.I. Khan districts and reports also indicate instances of non co-operation by the police and district administration.
Keeping in view the situation, the Chief Secretary has therefore directed the DCOs to vitalise the price control committees, utilise all other mechanisms of price control at their disposal and ensure containment of prices at the approved level.
He has also directed the police officers at the district level to fully support the efforts and warned that any laxity in this regard would render the concerned official liable to disciplinary action besides appropriate entries in the Performance Evaluation Reports (PERs).
The Chief Secretary has directed the Secretary and Director Food to constitute teams and carryout immediate visits in various districts to supplement the efforts and submit daily reports about the prices situation. He has asked the IGP to assess the progress of DPOs in this regard.