City District Government Peshawar (CDGP) has decided to convene a meeting of the trading community to seek their support in keeping check on the prices of the essential household items during the coming holy month of Ramazan in the district.
Under the Local Government Ordinance, town municipal administrations (TMA) are authorised to keep vigilance on the prices of the essential items. "The TMA is fully authorised to take action against profiteers charging high prices in the city," Haji Ghulam Ali, Peshawar City Nazim told Business Recorder.
He said that the city district government and TMAs of the four towns had already issued directives to the trading community in this regard. He said that Ramazan is the holy month of Muslims, but it is a matter of concern that some traders use it for monetary benefits through involvement in profiteering by charging high prices of the essential items.
The city district government, he said, this time had urged the trading community to refrain from price hiking voluntarily, saying the government instead of using force would urge the people to support it in the move themselves.
He said that the believers of other religions collect donations for the poor of their society, but surprisingly, our traders got involved in profiteering in the holy month and loot their fellow faithful. He urged the traders to refrain from involving in the negative trend of profiteering.
The traders would be invited to the secretariat of the city district government within a week to take them into confidence over the matter. He said that the city district government will continuously keep vigilance on the prices of essential items during the month of Ramazan.