Six shopkeepers held, 71 fined on profiteering

KHANEWAL, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2026) In a major enforcement drive ahead of Ramazan, district authorities carried out 7,740 inspections over the past four days, during which six shopkeepers were arrested while 71 were fined for overcharging.

According to the official sources, 43 price control magistrates, along with PERA Force teams, participated in the joint operations across the district. During the crackdown, six violators were arrested and three shops were sealed for serious breaches of price regulations while a fine of Rs 477000 was also imposed on the 71 shopkeepers.

The intensified campaign was being conducted on the directives of Deputy Commissioner Maliha Rashid, who has ordered stricter implementation of the price control mechanism to ensure relief for citizens during the holy month of Ramazan.

Additional Deputy Commissioner General Ghulam Mustafa Sial visited the fruit and vegetable market on Monday and personally supervised the auction process to maintain price stability and prevent artificial inflation.

Later, chairing a review meeting, the Deputy Commissioner directed price control magistrates to further improve their performance and keep special vigilance on essential commodities, including gram flour (besan), guava, dates, and apples.

She reiterated that providing relief to citizens remains the top priority of the district administration and warned that artificial price hikes would not be tolerated under any circumstances. Strict and indiscriminate action will continue against those charging above fixed rates or failing to display official price lists, she added.