The Punjab government has set up 318 Sastay Ramazan bazaars to provide quality edible items to the people at cheaper rates in the province. It has also deployed 756 price control magistrates to ensure prices and quality of items. It may be added that the government has given a special package of Rs 5 billion for provision of quality items including wheat, sugar to the consumers during the holy month of Ramadan. The Ramadan bazaars are open from 9.am. To 6.pm
Meanwhile on the direction of Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Provincial Ministers and administrative officers paid surprise visits to various Ramadan bazaars and checked prices, supply and quality of edible items. Provincial Minister for Agriculture Dr Farrukh Javed visited Ramadan bazaars at Shadman, Wahdat Road and Model Town. The Minister took strict notice of shortage of lemon and directed the DCO to immediately remove shortage of lemon.
Provincial Minister for Food Bilal Yasin paid surprise visits to ten Ramadan bazaars which included Islampura, Karim Park, Gulshan-e-Ravi, Barkat Market, Model Town, Wahadat Colony, Begum Kot, Dehli Gate, Shalamar Town and Shadman and checked quality and prices of vegetables and fruits at various stalls. The Minister directed that no leniency should be shown against the persons involved in hoarding and selling sub-standard essential items.
Provincial Minister for Excise & Taxation Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman visited Ramadan bazaars of Islampura and Karim Park and reviewed parking and security arrangements and directed the administration that security should be ensured at all cost. Commissioner Lahore Abdullah Khan Sumbal visited Ramadan bazaars at Model Town Link Road, Nishtar Town and Kahna Nau and expressed satisfaction over supply and prices of edible items. He also inquired from the consumers about the government steps and directed the administration to immediately address complaints of consumers.
Commissioner Sargodha Nadeem Mehboob visited Ramadan bazaars of Tehsil Esa Khel and Kamar Mashani and directed the administration to further improve arrangements. DCO Rajanpur Zahoor Hussain Gujjar visited Fazalpur Ramadan bazaar and expressed satisfaction over supply of eatable commodities in abundance, however, he directed to further improve cleanliness arrangements. DCO Bahawalpur Dr Ehtisham Anwar Mahar paid surprise visits to Ramadan bazaars of Railway Station and Melaywali Gali and expressed satisfaction over prices of eatables.