LAHORE   -   On the instructions of the chief minister Punjab, the food department is continuing its crackdown

on flour mills, dealers, and retailers involved in hoarding and artificial price hike. According to a spokesman for the department, a total of 647 flour mills, dealers, and retail shops were checked across the province in the last 24 hours and action was taken against three mills in Lahore on fraud and artificial price hike, imposing fine worth 3 lakh while one flour mill’s license was suspended. The minister said that record tempering and new price labelling on old bags had been detected while action has been taken also for not labelling the date of manufacture on flour bags, providing bogus records, and producing less flour than the approved ratio. A total of 108 locations were checked in Multan Division, 86 in DG Khan, 56 in Bahawalpur, 82 in Rawalpindi, 65 in Gujrat, and 73 in Sargodha. Similarly, 52 locations checked in Gujranwala Division, 65 in Faisalabad, 32 in Lahore, and 28 in Sahiwal. The minister said that artificial shortages of flour will not be tolerated in any circumstances. Continuous crackdown on those involved in creating artificial price hike has led to a decrease in prices.

The food department was continuously engaged in field operations. The increase in flour supply in the general market will provide relief to the common man, added the minister.