Islamabad-The Chief Commissioner Islamabad office has taken serious notice of the commission agents dealing in the sub-standard smuggled agriculture commodities from India including garlic, tomato and lemon, it has been learnt.
Chairman Market Committee Islamabad, Roshan Dil Khan Hoti, said that trade in the smuggled sub-standard commodities is not only against the law but consumption of such items is also hazardous to health. “That cannot be allowed under any circumstances,” read the notice served to the 7 commission agents found involved in the smuggled good business at the local Sabzi Mandi by the chairman market committee. The commission agents found involved in the trade include Haji Bashir (Bashir and Co, shop 136), Ch. Manzoor (Ch. Manzoor and Co, shop 302), Ch. Arshad (Ch. Arshad and Co, shop 300), Dilbar Khan (Silbar Khan and Co, shop 141-A), Yasir (Yasir and Co, shop 299), Rizwan Abbasi (Abbasi and Co, shop 303-B) and Haji Hanif (Haji Hanif and Co, shop 13). The notices separately served to the commission agents said that the traders were allowed to operate as commission agent of only standard agriculture produce in the fruit market in I-11/4 under section 6 of Agriculture Produce Market Ordinance, 2002. The commission agents have been granted licence by the market committee to operate in the Sabzi Mandi.
The notice read “Instructions were also issued earlier to commission agents to not trade smuggled agriculture items from India but it was to no avail”. The notices have asked the commission agents to immediately stop trade in the smuggled items otherwise face legal action. “The commission agents will also face cancellation of the licenses if violation continues”, it added. The authorities hoped that all the commission agents would comply with fresh instructions and immediately stop trade in poor quality products from India because they are hazardous to health. The market committee comprised of chairman, vice chairman and 8 members, which regulates purchase and sale of agricultural products in the Islamabad Capital Territory.
