LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif visited the Punjab Sahulat Bazaar Authority office and reviewed the monitoring system for Ramazan bazaars set up across the province.
During her visit, she toured the provincial control room and made a live call to a customer at the Mian Plaza Johar Town Ramazan Bazaar to obtain feedback about prices and facilities.
She inquired about the rates of essential items, including potatoes, onions, ginger and spinach, and also inspected price lists, cleanliness arrangements and overall management.
A citizen, identified as Umar, told the chief minister during the call that items at Ramazan bazaars are available at affordable rates in a clean environment, adding that he had come to purchase goods as per a list given by his mother.
Officials briefed the chief minister that a central monitoring system had been established for 75 Nigahban Ramazan bazaars across Punjab including 49 permanent sahulat bazaars, 15 mobile “Sahulat on the Go” units and 11 district bazaars, along with free home delivery services.
They said more than 1,400 CCTV cameras had been installed, enabling round-the-clock monitoring through multiple screens at the control room, where officers track prices, quality of fruits and vegetables, and resolve overcharging complaints promptly. Under a 24/7 feedback mechanism, around 600 citizens are contacted daily, while a dedicated helpline (0308-0800222) has also been established.
The chief minister was informed that sahulat bazaars are currently functional in Lahore, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, Gujrat and Rawalpindi.
Maryam Nawaz said essential commodities are being provided at rates lower than official DC prices, adding that digital monitoring and free home delivery services are helping reduce crowding in markets during Ramazan.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026