LAHORE   -   Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has directed the authorities to launch a crackdown on the elements creating artificial price hike in the province.

“Effective measures should be adopted to stabilize prices of essential items and stern action should be taken against those responsible for creating artificial price hike,” the chief minister told the cabinet sub-committee on price control.

The chief minister made it clear that artificial increase in the prices of essential items will not be tolerated. Availability of food items, according to their fixed prices, is the responsibility of the administration, he added. He said that deputy commissioners should vigilantly monitor the prices of essential items and their prices should also be regularly monitored in Sunday bazaars. “Those who are looting people through artificial price hike do not deserve any leniency. The administrative officers should go out in the field and proactively perform their duties to provide relief to people. The masses cannot be left at the mercy of profiteers,” he said.

The chief minister told the officials to expedite action against profiteers and hoarders and reiterated that public interest was the most supreme for him. “The PTI government has a full understanding of public problems and the government is taking every possible step so that relief could be provided to people. Every possible step will be taken to provide essential items at fixed prices to the common man,” he concluded.