Implementation of ordinance to check hoarding ordered.

PESHAWAR -- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Dr Kazim Niaz on Tuesday directed all the administrative and police heads at the divisional and district levels to lay down guidelines for implementation of the Prevention of Hoarding Ordinance, 2020.

The ordinance has been promulgated for the prevention of hoarding during the ongoing emergency situation arising out of the coronavirus pandemic.

'A guideline may be laid down for the convenience of the officers, who are required to implement or exercise jurisdiction under the ordinance,' according to an order issued to all the administrative and police heads.

The definition of the 'hoarding' or 'to hoard' may be clearly communicated to all the divisional and deputy commissioners and DIGs of police for the purpose of determination of actionable points, reads the order.

Section 3 of the ordinance states that any dealer found guilty of offence or hoarding is liable to be punishable with both simple imprisonment and fine, which may be equivalent to 50 per cent of the value of the scheduled articles.

The value of such items shall be determined by the officer (DCs or the officers authorised by them) in the manner as may be prescribed, under rules being framed by the food department.

According to the law, in case of reporting or suspicion of contravention to the ordinance, an officer may, after recording in writing the grounds of his suspicion, enter and search, without any warrant, any place where dealer keeps, or is for the time being keeping, any...