The Karachi administration on Thursday launched a crackdown against overpricing during Ramadan, taking action in 196 cases across all districts and imposing fines totalling Rs1.88 million.
According to officials, magistrates inspected prices at 491 locations and supervised the sale of essential commodities at official rates at most sites. Deputy commissioners reported that magistrates personally oversaw the sale of goods at 61 locations to ensure compliance.
Commissioner Karachi Syed Hassan Naqvi had constituted three monitoring teams under the supervision of senior officials to strictly enforce official prices and support magistrates conducting inspections. The city had been divided into three regions for effective monitoring.
Additional Commissioner-I Ghulam Mehdi Shah would oversee the West region, Additional Commissioner-II Asadullah Khoso would supervise the South region, and Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) Sajjad Abro Ali would head the East region.
The West region comprises District West and Central; the South region includes District South, Korangi, and Keamari; while the East region covers District East and Malir. The monitoring teams had been directed to visit complaint centres, model bazaars, and other shopping areas to ensure the display of official price lists at all shops and to strengthen efforts aimed at providing relief to citizens during Ramadan.
Complaint centres had been established at various markets across the city. In District Korangi, centres had been set up at Liaqat Market, Tanki Market, Shah Faisal Colony No. 3 Market, Rafah-e-Aam Market (Shah Faisal Colony No. 1), Bhitai Colony, Korangi No. 2, 3, and 6 Markets, Babar Market, KE Area Market, and Kilo Chowk.
In District Malir, centres include the Vegetable and Fruit Market, Meat Market, B Area Market, Memon Goth Market, Main Bazar Kathor, Main Bazar Gadap, Main Bazar Bhittaiabad, and Main Market Bachat Bazar.
In District Central, complaint centres had been established at Block M Meat Market, Nagin Chowrangi, Khadija Market, Disco Mor, Power House (Sindhi Hotel Water Pump), Liaquatabad Super Market, Gol Market, Paposh Market, and Liaquat Chowk.
In District South, centres were operational at Jodia Bazar, Delhi Colony, Ranchhor Line Khadda Market, and Empress Market. In District East, centres had been set up at 10 locations, including Faria Market, Johar Complex, Tariq Commercial Market, Shahabuddin Market, Jamshed Road Market, Fatima Jinnah Colony, PIB Market, and Machhi Market.
