LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has directed the Punjab government to provide a report regarding steps taken in each district of the province to control prices of food stuff.
Justice, Muhammad Farrukh Irfan Khan passed the directions while hearing a petition filed in public interest by Judicial Activism Panel against the federal and provincial governments for not taking appropriate action to control price of essential commodities, its black marketing, hoarding and making of excessive profiteering.
During the hearing, DCO Lahore Capt (R) Muhammad Usman appeared before the court and submitted a report regarding price control activities undertaken by the City District Government.
He stated that for violating the Price Control Policy, 1008 arrests were made in the year 2012-13 and 7541 during the period from July 2014 to April 2015.
He further submitted that although the price of Crude Oil had drastically been reduced in the international market, however, its effect was only of nominal nature on the life of a layman across the country.
The prices of essential commodities had not cut down because the effect of fuel price on the transportation was on fractional basis of the total cost, he added.
The DCO explained that as the price of cooking oil and ghee was directly related with the price of Palm Oil, the government had declared Rs 15 per litre/kg reduction in rates of cooking oil and ghee to shift the benefit of reduction in international prices of palm oil from manufactures to the public.
He stated that due to said timely action of the government prices of cooking oil/ghee had been decreased in the market throughout the province.
The court found the report quite comprehensive and made it part of the record.
Council appearing on behalf of Judicial Activism Panel, Azhar Siddique, Advocate, submitted that the said steps to control prices of food stuff had been taken in the district Lahore only while such measures should also be undertaken throughout the province by the government.
At this, the court directed the Punjab chief secretary to submit a report in respect of each district explaining measures taken to reduce prices of essential commodities.
The law office was also asked to ensure submission of the requisite report in the office within a fortnight.
The petitioner-firm has taken up the plea that all the price control acts specially the Food Stuff Control Act, 1958, the Punjab Essential Article (Control) Act, 1973 and the Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Act, 1977 either prescribed the powers and functions of the state functionaries to fix price by a notification; provided for regulating the price, production movement, supply, distribution, disposal and sale and power has also been given the Act but the relevant designated authorities were either not nominated or if nominated were not provided facilities of staff to control the mechanism.
The applicant prayed for issuance of directions to the federal and provincial government to modify the laws in accordance with the present needs and to establish an independent authority for the purpose to save and protect the fundamental rights of citizens of Pakistan.
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