Lahore: Price Control Magistrates in Punjab conducted 464,543 inspections across the province from November 3 to 9, 2026, as part of an extensive effort to curb profiteering and ensure compliance with government-regulated pricing of essential commodities.

According to Directorate General Public Relation – Govt of Punjab, 18,200 enforcement actions were executed against shopkeepers and traders found guilty of excessive pricing during the week-long operation. Authorities imposed fines totaling Rs11,334,751, registered 53 cases, and arrested 302 individuals for various violations.

The effort revealed 1,991 instances where businesses failed to display official price lists. The most significant number of inspections, 70,712, focused on monitoring roti prices, uncovering 4,070 cases of overcharging. In response, authorities levied fines of Rs490,501, filed 18 legal cases, and apprehended 60 individuals.

Price checks extended to chicken meat, with 19,461 inspections identifying 1,385 overcharging incidents. Resulting actions included fines of Rs191,500, four legal cases, and 18 arrests. Similarly, flour bag prices were scrutinized through 17,197 inspections, which led to 782 overcharging cases, Rs222,500 in fines, three cases, and 11 arrests.

The campaign also covered a wide range of other essential commodities. Inspections included 15,550 for basmati rice, 14,609 for masoor lentils, 14,421 for mash lentils, and 13,160 for moong lentils. Additional inspections monitored ghee and sugar prices, with 12,607 and 12,110 inspections respectively.

Enforcement actions further extended to commodities such as gram flour, eggs, tomatoes, onions, and potatoes. The report noted arrests of 23 individuals over egg pricing violations, 13 for tomato pricing, and 12 for onion pricing.

Dr. Kiran Khursheed, Punjab Secretary of Food Safety and Consumer Protection, stated that the price control mechanism is rigorously enforced across Punjab under the chief minister’s directives. The initiative aims to provide consumer relief and ensure the availability of essential goods at government-fixed rates, with ongoing action against violators to mitigate inflation’s impact on the public.