The City District Government Lahore (CDGL) has directed the traders of Akbari Mandi to keep their shops open on Sunday to ensure smooth supply of sugar to the retailers and to ensure availability of the sweetener to the masses during Eid ul Azha.
President Lahore Sugar Dealers Association, Muhammad Asghar Butt said that the Commissioner Lahore Division has directed the sugar dealers of the Akbari Mandi in a meeting here on Saturday. The Commissioner also asked them to lift all their stocks lying in any godowns.
Asghar claimed that seven points would be open in the market to unload around 110 tons of sugar to be provided by the government to the traders for further provision on Rs 69 per kilogram to the retailers. While the sugar being brought from Karachi would also start reaching the market by Monday, he added.
He said that sugar, which was being sold at Rs 80 per kilogram on Friday fell to Rs 69 per kilogram on Saturday as per the directives of the city administration, which fixed its wholesale rate at Rs 69 and retail rate at Rs 72 per kilogram. Another dealer said that the sugar was being sold at Rs 69 per kilogram on Saturday in the Akbari Mandi but they had to suffer losses, as they bought this sugar on higher rates.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif at a meeting convened to ensure provision of essential items to the people at affordable prices and evolving a strategy in this regard, ordered that selling of sugar should be ensured at Rs 72/- per kg through out the province and strict action should be taken against those even over charging single penny whereas crackdown should also be launched against hoarders.
He said the administration has to fully mobilise for overcoming the scourge of price hike and will have to ensure provision of essential items to the common man at reasonable prices. He said that provision of relief to the people is our responsibility and we will fulfil it at all costs. He said that those who are indulging in adulteration in medicines and other eatable items are criminals and deserve no leniency. Strict action should be taken against such black sheep, he added. He directed the Chief Secretary to immediately formulate a course of action for provision of essential items at reasonable prices to the common man and meanwhile steps should also be taken for maintaining the prices at suitable level.
Shahbaz said that common man is facing serious problems due to price hike and as a result of it, his life has become miserable. The system of price control and monitoring the prices has become ineffective and trend of adulteration in essential items has arisen, he added. He said that it is the high time to provide relief to the common man in the present circumstances and instead of criticising the system, we will have to take practical measures for provision of essential items to the common man. He said that in the price hike, common man rightly questions about such a system in which elite has all facilities and privileges but the poor people is facing lot of problems.