Crackdowns on hoarders: Wholesalers announce to shut markets

KARACHI: Wholesalers have announced to shut markets across Karachi on Monday to protest against ‘illegal raids and fines’ by the district administration to curb hoarding, ARY News reported on Friday.

The Karachi Wholesale Grocers Association (KWGA) Chairman Rauf Ibrahim conducted a press conference today and said that the district administration spread fear among the traders by raiding and sealing shops and go-downs.

He warned of closing wholesale markets on Monday if the shops and go-downs are not desealed by the district administration. “We would shut commodity markets on Monday if illegal raids and fines are not stopped.”

Rauf Ibrahim alleged that closed shops and go-downs are also being sealed in the name of crackdowns on hoarders. He claimed that Rs30,000 fine was imposed on a shop owner in Joria Bazar for keeping two sacks of sugar.

He criticised that the wholesalers having a stock of 100 to 500 sacks of sugar are being called hoarders. He clarified that the traders are ready to cooperate with the authorities during crackdowns on hoarders.

Ibrahim urged the administration to take strict action against real hoarders.

A few days ago, it emerged that the price and availability of sugar were gradually becoming stable and normal with the caretaker government launching a massive crackdown to curb smuggling and hoarding of essential commodities.

In line with its strategy, the government has also planned prize money (cash reward) for those citizens who would provide information leading to the identification of elements involved in the smuggling and hoarding.

For this purpose, a toll-free number has been set up at the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Ministry of Interior to call and share the required information against the elements involved in illegal activities, causing a dent in the national economy, the state news agency reported.

To stop hoarding the federal and provincial governments have launched operations in different cities, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Quetta and Dera Ismail Khan, which resulted in seizure of illegally stocked sugar.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) said that sufficient stocks of sugar were available at a controlled price across the country.

He said sugar was available at Rs 147 per kg for general customers and at Rs101 per kg for customers registered under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).