Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Wednesday said that the province has promulgated the ‘The Punjab Prevention of Hoarding Ordinance 2020’ to stem the hoarders from looting masses during the holy month of Ramazan.

Punjab Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department notified the ordinance.

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Governor Punjab Ch Muhammad Sarwar promulgated the Ordinance in the exercise of the powers conferred under clause (i) of Article 128 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

As per the ordinance, the offence of hoarding would be, if any dealer, who if found to hoard any article shall be guilty of an offence, punishable with simple imprisonment up to three (03) years and line equivalent to 50% of the value of the articles involved in the case.

See Also: Punjab govt issues Ramazan timings

Article 4 of ordinance stated about the power to search for and seizure of article as, when an officer has reasonable grounds to suspect, either upon information from anyone or on his own, he may, after recording in writing the grounds of his suspicion, enter and search, without any warrant, any place where a dealer keeps or is for the time being keeping, any article, accounts, registers or any other related items or things.

All offences punishable under this Ordinance shall be cognizable and non-bailable.

Reward for informers

Any person who provides information to an officer with regard to any act of hoarding, which results in a conviction and release of funds into the Government exchequer, shall be entitled to an award equivalent to ten percent of the amount released to the Government exchequer in such manner as may be prescribed.

Offences in respect of false reporting and failure to disclose information Any dealer or owner of a godown or a storage place or their management or agent, who fails to provide information or gives fake or false information shall be guilty of an offence punishable with simple imprisonment up to three years and fine up to rupees one million, the notification said.

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