KARACHI: Karachi administration has taken measures to control the prices of food items and ensure traffic flow during Ramadan. For quick response the citizens’ complaints regarding overpricing and roadside encroachments, Help Line 1299 has been activated.
All Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners are in action to prevent overpricing and roadside encroachments. The Bureau of Supply has also been directed to play an efficient role to ensure the availability of daily-use items, mainly the essential ones, at low prices.
The Commissioner Karachi, Syed Hassan Naqvi has also issued orders to deal with encroachers strictly and ensure smooth flow of traffic throughout the city.
The Commissioner’s Office has released a report on actions taken against overpricing, according to the report issued 2,429 places were checked in one week in which action was taken against 554 overpricing cases. In total, Rs 35,62,000 was fined.
Moreove in an action against roadside encroachments 45 shops were sealed by the Assist commissioner Aram Bag, Hazim Bhangwar. Whereas, various shops in the Garden and Ibrahim Hyderi areas were warned.
Assistant Commissioner Aram Bagh, Hazim Bhangwar sealed 45 shops, while Assistant Commissioner Garden and Assistant Commissioner Ibrahim Haidri Malir removed encroachments and warned against future violations.
According to the hand out special prices have been fixed for Ramadan and new lists have been issued.
The Commissioner has directed the Bureau of Supply to provide new price lists to markets and shopkeepers and ensure they display them prominently.
Deputy Commissioners have been instructed to ensure all shopkeepers display official price lists so buyers know the official prices. And, legal action should be taken against the shopkeepers who don’t display price lists.
According to the Commissioner Office, all Assistant Commissioners and Mukhtarkars are working to prevent profiteering, with Deputy Commissioners overseeing price control efforts.
The Commissioner Office released details of actions taken against profiteers last week.
According to the report, from February 10 to February 17, Assistant Commissioners checked prices at 2,429 locations and took action against 554 overpricing cases. A total fine of Rs. 35,62,000 was imposed.
In District Central, 97 overpricing cases were taken against, with a fine of Rs. 4,25,000 imposed. In District East, action was taken against 100 overpricing cases, with a fine of Rs. 7,70,000 imposed.
In District Keamari, 77 overpricing cases were taken against, with a fine of Rs. 89,000 imposed. In District Korangi, action was taken against 65 overpricing cases, with a fine of Rs. 1,96,000 imposed.
In District South, 129 overpricing cases were taken against, with a fine of Rs. 16,00,000 imposed, and in District West, 20 overpricing cases were taken against, with a fine of Rs 88,000 imposed.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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