hen the rulers prefer their publicity to solving the genuine public problems, they can`t claim having good governance. The ongoing price control campaign is an example of this as the shopkeepers are allegedly being forced to display price lists, bearing images of the chief minister, or be ready to pay fines up to Rs10,000 along with hours-long detention at police stations.

Several shopkeepers nearMandi Stop, Multan Road (Anwar Market, Peco Road) were shocked when a team led by a price control magistrate last week arrested them for not displaying the price lists (Panaflex) bearing images of the Punjab`s chief executive.

Two of the 10 vendors picked by the team not only faced detention for hours at the Thokar police post but also paid Rs10,000 each fine.

The district coordination officer rejects the impression saying none of the magistrates has been advised to get such price lists displayed by the shopkeep-ers. `We have neither received such instructions from the higherups nor is it our own decision. And if someone is involved, he will be punished strictly,` he told Dawn.

A grocer (Al-Rehman Store near Anwar Market) said he was shocked to find a team led by a magistrate Jawadul Hassan Gondal on March 27 picking up shopkeepers randomly. `I had displayed the government`s rate list on paper but the ofncials asked me why I hadn`t displayed the price list as advised. All our efforts to convince them proved futile andtheydetainedusattheThokarNiaz Baig police post,` vendor Yaseen Rehman told Dawn.

He said he and some others were allowed to go after payment of a fine of Rs10,000 each which he borrowed from someone. He said the government through such measures generated revenue, appealing to the provincial government high command to take stock.

The DCO appointed Additional District Collector General (ADCG) Asfand Yar Baloch to inquire into the matter. `I have been advised by the DCO to inquire into the matter. And wewill surely take action against the magistrate who acted on his own,` he told this reporter.

He said since there were no such instruction to the price control teams, the issue would be probed. He said he had also asl(ed the Raiwind assistant commissioner to resolve the issue.

I he Lahore Parking Company (LPC) has hande d over another major parking lot in Liberty (Gulberg) to AGCN, a private firm, under acontract. The firm has converted the parking lot into an automated mode after installing equipment.

According to the LPC managing director, the firm has also installed CCTV cameras besides setting up an operation room.

`We have to hand over around 250 parking lots to AGCN and 42 including the recent one at Liberty Market have already been given,` Taseer Ahmad told Dawn.

He said the 42 sites had been automated by the firm. (khalidpak284@yahoo.com)