Lahore: The Punjab government has promulgated an anti-hoarding ordinance which can award imprisonment of up to three years to hoarders of essential items, a news source reported.
As per reports, the ordinance also contains confiscation of materials and a summary trial for those who indulge in profiteering, manipulation, and hoarding of essential food and medical items. The ordinance also declares hoarding as a crime that cannot be bailed and deputy commissioners (DCs) throughout Punjab can execute raids without getting search warrants.
Additionally, a special magistrate will announce their verdict on cases related to hoarding within one month. Also, the verdict of the special magistrate can be appealed against in session court within one month. Meanwhile, the session court is expected to give its verdict in the following 30 days.
According to the ordinance, the provincial government released a list of 41 goods/products that cannot be hoarded. The list includes food items, agricultural items, and medical products, including sugar, milk for children, powdered milk, tea, fruit, edible oil, salt, pulses, onions, potato, mutton, beef, fish, vegetables, spices, eggs, coal, matchsticks, kerosene oil, cement, poultry food, chemical fertilizers, wheat flour, pesticides, caustic soda, cotton seeds, sanitizers, N95 masks, face masks, wool, alcohol, and surface cleaners.
