MUZAFFARABAD: In order to curb hoarding and artificial price hike of essential commodities amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Sunday promulgated an ordinance to punish hoarders.
Under the ordinance, hoarders will face three years of imprisonment and fine equivalent to 50 per cent of the value of the hoarded items.
AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan said that the government will take indiscriminate and ruthless action against the hoarders. He maintained that there was no shortage of essential commodities in AJK.
On April 7, the AJK premier had directed stringent action against hoarders and profiteers, who were trying to take benefit of the lockdown imposed in the state to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Presiding over a high-level meeting in Muzaffarabad through video-link, he had also ordered the concerned authorities to remain vigilant and to take strict action against the profiteers and hoarders to ensure provision of all edible items to the general public.
He had also directed the concerned officials to provide required resources for the provision of safety kits to the doctors, paramedical staff, police and officials of administration.
“All the commissioners and deputy commissioners should make it sure that daily wagers have been helped out during the lock-down period. Payment of the wages to sanitary workers and contingent paid staff of the local government board should be ensured,” he had said.
He had also said that a large number of artificial masks and fake sanitisers were being sold in the markets and had directed the drug inspectors to take immediate action.
The AJK PM had directed to further tighten the lockdown ensuring precautionary measures and strict monitoring on the checking process and all entry points.
