LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi Friday ordered indiscriminate action against those responsible for artificial price-hike in the province.

While giving instructions to the cabinet standing committee on price-control from London, the CM noted that inflation is the issue of the common man and added that ease should be ensured for the impecunious strata through an effective system of price control.

The people couldn’t be left at the mercy of black marketeers; he stressed and asked the political, as well as administrative teams, to play an active role to save the people from artificial inflation. The CM stressed that the government has a full understanding of the difficulties of the common man.

The parliamentarians should monitor the prices of essential commodities in their areas; he said and made it clear that the performance of deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners would be gauged through effective price-control measures.

A report on the activities of each district will be prepared and those who would do well would be commended; the CM added and reiterated that there is no room for any negligence in this regard. Those who are negligent in price-control measures must be held accountable; he warned and directed holding price-control committee meetings in DC offices daily. Alongside this, the approved price lists should be displayed at the shops and the prices should be checked as per SOPs, he concluded.