PUNJAB PRICE CONTROL OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES ACT 2024

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THE PUNJAB PRICE CONTROL OF ESSENTIAL 
COMMODITIES ACT 2024 
(VII OF 2024) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title, extent and commencement. 
2. Definitions. 
3. Establishment of Price Control Council. 
4. Powers to make orders. 
5. Provincial Controller General, his powers and functions. 
6. Fixation of prices. 
7. Selling or re-selling of essential commodities. 
8. Disposal of seized essential commodity. 
9. Supply of information. 
10.  Penalties. 
11. Cognizance of offences. 
12. Appeal. 
13. Attempts and abetments. 
14. Offences by corporations. 
15. False statement. 
16. Power to try offences. 
17. Burden of proof in certain cases. 
18. Protection of action taken under the Act. 
19. Power to make rules. 
20. Power to frame regulations. 
21. Power to amend Schedule. 
22. Overriding effect. 
23. Repeal and Saving. 
SCHEDULE 
 
TEXT 
THE PUNJAB PRICE CONTROL OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES 
ACT 2024 
(VII of 2024) 
[14th June, 2024] 
An 
Act 
to provide for price control of essential commodities in the Punjab.  
It is necessary to make provisions for providing effective mechanism for fixation of 
prices of essential commodities; to control artificial price hike and profiteering of 
essential commodities in the Punjab; and, for the matters ancillary thereto.  
Be it enacted by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as follows: 
1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Act may be cited as the 
Punjab Price Control of Essential Commodities Act 2024.  
(2) This Act extends to the whole of the Punjab. 
(3) This Act shall come into force at once. 
2. Definitions.– In the Act: 
(a) “Act” means the Punjab Price Control of Essential Commodities Act 
2024; 
(b) “Code” means the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (V of 1898); 
(c) “Controller of Prices and Supplies” means the  Deputy Commissioner of 
the relevant District;  
(d) “Council” means the Price Control Council established under section 3 
of the Act; 
(e) “District Price Control Committee” means the District Price Control 
Committee notified by the Controller of Prices and Supplie s in his 
respective jurisdiction; 
(f) “dealer” means a person carrying on, whether in conjunction with any 
other business or not, the business of selling any essential commodity, 
whether wholesale or retail; 
(g) “essential commodity” means any of the commodities o r classes of 
commodities mentioned in the Schedule; 
(h) “Government” means Government of the Punjab;  
(i) “importer” means a person importing into Pakistan, whether under an 
import licence granted by the Federal Government or otherwise, any 
essential commodity fro m outside Pakistan, but does not include a 
person importing any essential commodity as part of his personal 
baggage; 
(j) “order” means an order issued under the Act; 
(k) “prescribed” means prescribed by the rules and regulations made or 
framed under the Act; 
(l) “producer” means a person engaged in the manufacture or production 
of any essential commodity; 
(m) “Province” means the Province of the Punjab; 
(n) “Provincial Controller General” means the Provincial Controller General 
as provided in section 5 of the Act; 
(o) “regulations” means the regulations framed under the Act; 
(p) “rules” means the rules made under the Act;  
(q) “Schedule” means the Schedule appended to the Act; and 
(r) “Secretary” means the Secretary to the Government. 
3. Establishment of Price Control Council .– 1[(1) There sha ll be a Price 
Control Council comprising of: 
(a)  Minister for Price Control and Commodities 
Management or any public representative 
nominated by the Chief Minister. 
Chairperson 
(b)  Minister for Agriculture. Member 
(c)  Minister for Industries, Commerce and 
Investment. 
Member 
(d)  three members of Provincial Assembly of the 
Punjab including one female member to be 
nominated by the Speaker of the Assembly. 
Members 
(e)  Chief Secretary, Punjab. Member 
(f)  Secretary to the Government, Home 
Department. 
Member 
(g)  Secretary to the Government, Price Control and 
Commodities Management Department. 
Member 
(h)  Secretary to the Government, Agriculture 
Department. 
Member 
(i)  Secretary to the Government, Livestock and 
Dairy Development Department. 
Member 
(j)  Secretary to the Government, Industri es, 
Commerce and Investment Department. 
Member 
(k)  Chairperson, Punjab Agricultural Marketing 
Regulatory Authority. 
Member 
(l)  Chairperson, Punjab Sahulat Bazaars Authority.  Member 
(m)  three experts in the fields, as may be prescribed 
through the regulations, t o be nominated by the 
Chief Minister. 
Members 
                                                           
1Substituted by the Punjab Price C ontrol of Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2025 (LXIX of 2025) , published in the 
Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary) dated: 5 August 2025, pp 651-652, s.2(a). 
(n)  three commodity-specific representatives of the 
stakeholders, nominated by the Chairperson. 
Members 
(o)  any other co-opted member. Member 
(p)  Director General (Commodities), Price Control 
and Commodities Management Department. 
Secretary / 
Member]. 
 
(2) The Council, in addition to the powers provided under section 4, shall:  
(a) obtain information regarding prices of essential commodities 
prevailing in various markets; 
(b) review the prices of essential commodities fixed under the Act; 
(c)  monitor the action taken under the Act for the purposes of price 
control; and  
(d) issue directions and orders to ensure implementation of the 
provisions of the Act. 
2[(3) The Directorate General (Commodities), Price Control and  Commodities 
Management shall be the secretariat of the Council.] 
4. Powers to make orders .– (1) The Council itself or through the Provincial 
Controller General, any authorized officer or Controller of Prices and Supplies, for 
specific essential commodities, so far as it appears to it to be necessary or expedient 
for securing equitable distribution of an essential commodity and its availability at fair 
prices, may, by an order, provide for regulating the prices, production, movement, 
transport, supply, dist ribution, disposal and sale of  the essential commodity and for 
the price to be charged or paid for it at any stage of transaction therein. 
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the powers conferred by sub -
section (1), an order may provide: 
(a) for controlling  the prices at which any essential commodity may be 
bought or sold in any area; 
(b) for regulating the production, treatment and keeping of any essential 
commodity; 
(c) for regulating, by licenses, permits or otherwise, the transportation, 
movement and distribution in the Province of an essential commodity; 
(d) for prohibiting the withholding of sale of an essential commodity 
ordinarily kept for sale; 
(e) for requiring any person holding stock of essential commodity to sell in 
whole or a specified part of the stock at such  price, to such persons or 
class of persons and under such conditions as may be specified in the 
order; 
                                                           
 2Added by the Punjab Price Control of Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2025 (LXIX of 2025) , published in the Punjab 
Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 5 August 2025, pp 651-652, s.2(b). 
 
 
(f) for fixing the maximum quantity of any essential commodity which may 
at any time be possessed by a producer or dealer; 
(g) for collecting any information or  statistics with a view to regulating or 
prohibiting any of the matters aforesaid; 
(h) for requiring persons engaged in any of the matters aforesaid in 
respect of any essential commodity to maintain and produce for 
inspection of such books, accounts and record s relating to their 
business and to furnish such information relating thereto, as may be 
specified in the order; 
(i) for requiring every importer, producer, dealer, wholesaler and retailer to 
mark the essential commodities with the sale prices and to exhibit o n 
his premises a price list of the essential commodities held by him for 
sale;  
(j) for any incidental and supplementary matters, including in particular the 
entering and search of premises, vehicles and vessels and seizure by 
a person authorized to make such search of any article in respect of 
which such person has reason to believe that a contravention of the 
order has been, is being or is about to be committed, or any record 
connected therewith, the grant or issue of licenses, permits or other 
documents and the charging of fees therefor; and 
(k) for seizure and forfeiture of stock of essential commodities and sealing 
of the business place or premises found in contravention of the 
provisions of the Act subject to providing opportunity of being heard 
and recording reasons in writing: provided that the provisions of the 
Code shall not be applicable on search, seizure and forfeiture under 
the Act.  
5. Provincial Controller General, his powers and functions .– (1) The 
Secretary, 3[Price Control and Commodities Managemen t] Department shall be the 
Provincial Controller General for the purposes of the Act. 
(2) The Provincial Controller General may, by an order, authorize any 
officer of the Government to exercise his powers and functions within any specific 
area and with regard to any specific essential commodity or class of commodities, as 
he may deem fit. 
(3) A Deputy Commissioner shall be the Controller of Prices and Supplies 
in his respective District and exercise the powers and functions of Provincial 
Controller General in his respective jurisdiction.  
(4) For the purpose of exercising powers and performing functions under 
the Act, the Provincial Controller General or any officer authorized by him or 
Controller of Prices and Supplies in consultation with the District Price Control 
Committee notified by him, in his respective jurisdiction, may:  
                                                           
3Substituted for the expression “Industries, Commerce, Investment and Skills Development”  by the Punjab Price Control of 
Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 202 5 (LXIX of 2025) , published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary) , dated: 5 
August 2025, pp 651-652, s.3. 
 
(a) seek monthly or periodical statement or record from a producer, dealer, 
importer or their representatives as and when required;  
(b) enter and search any premises of any trade association and verif y the 
information provided by such association; 
(c) seek documents or record from any source for the purposes of order 
under the Act and such source shall provide the necessary assistance;  
(d) fix the price of an essential commodity for any category or tier of 
available brands in the case of differentiated commodities, after 
completing the procedure as may be required by the Provincial 
Controller General or any officer authorized by him or Controller of 
Prices and Supplies; 
(e) seek record and assistance of any releva nt organization either Federal 
or Provincial for the purpose of fixation of the price of essential 
commodities, if deems necessary; and 
(f) search, seize and forfeit stock of essential commodities and seal the 
business place or premises found in contravention of the provisions of 
the Act, subject to providing opportunity of being heard and recording 
reasons in writing: provided that the provisions of the Code shall not be 
applicable on search, seizure and forfeiture under the Act. 
6. Fixation of prices .– (1) Subject to such directions as may be passed by the 
Council, the Provincial Controller General or any officer authorized by him or 
Controller of Prices and Supplies, may by an order fix the specific maximum prices of 
essential commodities and different prices  may be fixed for different localities or at 
different stages of transaction and the period for which it is being fixed for any 
essential commodity or classes of commodities. 
(2) The Provincial Controller General or any officer authorized by him or 
Controller of Prices and Supplies may review the prices so fixed or extend the period 
of the order under sub -section (1) if the circumstances so demand, by recording 
reasons in writing. 
7. Selling or re-selling of essential commodities .– No person shall sell or re -
sell any essential commodity at a price higher than the maximum price so fixed and 
such person shall display a list of fixed prices of essential commodities at 
conspicuous place of his sale point. 
8. Disposal of seized essential commodity .– (1) Notwithstandi ng anything 
contained in any other law for the time being in force and in addition to the 
prosecution under the Act, the essential commodities seized under the Act may be 
sold by an officer who seized the essential commodities, on the spot at the prices 
fixed for such essential commodities under the Act. 
(2) The sale proceeds so collected under sub -section (1) shall be 
deposited in a profit bearing bank account in any Scheduled Bank empowered to 
receive Government dues and if the accused person whose essent ial commodity is 
sold is: 
(a)  acquitted of an offence, the deposited amount shall be released to the 
said accused person; or  
(b) convicted of an offence, the deposited amount shall be forfeited to the 
Government.    
9. Supply of information .– Every deale r, importer, producer or seller shall 
supply to the Provincial Controller General or any officer authorized by him or 
Controller of Prices and Supplies such information regarding the production, import, 
purchase, stock, sale or distribution of any of the e ssential commodities as the 
Provincial Controller General or any officer authorized by him or Controller of Prices 
and Supplies may, by an order in writing, require. 
10.  Penalties.– (1) Any person who contravenes any order made under the Act, 
shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or 
with fine which may extend to five hundred thousand rupees or with both.  
(2) Any person convicted for an offence punishable under the Act, if 
convicted again for an offence under the Act, the punishment under sub -section (1) 
shall not be less than one month or fine shall not be less than forty -five thousand 
rupees or both and the business premises of such person may also be sealed for a 
maximum period of seven days. 
11. Cognizance of o ffences.– The offences under the Act shall be cognizable 
and non-bailable. 
12. Appeal.– (1) Any producer, dealer, importer, or seller if aggrieved by an order 
of the Controller of Prices and Supplies may prefer an appeal within seven working 
days of the pa ssing of such order, to the relevant Divisional Commissioner and the 
order passed by such Divisional Commissioner shall be final. 
(2) Any producer, dealer, importer, or seller if aggrieved by any order of 
the Provincial Controller General or any officer author ized by him, may prefer an 
appeal within fifteen working days of the passing of order, to the appellate committee 
constituted by the Council and the order passed by such appellate committee shall 
be final.  
13. Attempts and abetments.– Any person who attempts to contravene, or abets 
a contravention of, any order made under the Act shall be deemed to have 
contravened the order: 
Provided that a person who buys an essential commodity for his personal 
consumption or use and not for sale, he shall not be deemed to have abetted the 
contravention of such order.  
14. Offences by corporations.– If the person contravening an order made under 
the Act is a company or other body corporate or a partnership or other body of 
individuals, every director, manager, secretary, member or other officer or agent 
thereof shall, unless he proves that the contravention took place without his 
knowledge or that he exercised all due diligence to prevent such contravention, be 
deemed to be guilty of such contravention. 
15. False statement.– A person shall be punished with imprisonment for a term 
which may extend to three years or with fine, or with both, if he: 
(a) when required by an order made under the Act to make a statement or 
furnish any information makes any statement or furnishes any 
statement which is false in any material particular and which he knows 
or has reasonable cause to believe to be false, or does not believe to 
be true; or 
(b) makes any statement as aforesaid in any book, account, record, 
declaration, return or other document wh ich he is required by any such 
order to maintain.  
16. Power to try offences .– (1) The offences punishable under the Act shall be 
tried by a Special Magistrate appointed under section 14A of the Code either in a 
summary manner as provided in sections 262 t o 265 of the Code or under Chapter 
XX of the Code. 
 (2) If a Special Magistrate has reason to believe that any offence 
punishable under the Act has been committed by any person, he may enter the 
place or premises where the offence has been committed and tr y the offences as 
provided in sub-section (1).  
17. Burden of proof in certain cases .– Where any person is prosecuted for 
contravening any order made under the Act which prohibits him from doing an act or 
being in possession of a thing without lawful autho rity or without a permit, licence or  
other document, the burden of proving that he has such authority, permit, licence or 
other document shall be on him. 
18. Protection of action taken under the Act .– No suit, prosecution or other 
legal proceeding shall li e against Provincial Controller General or any officer 
authorized by him or Controller of Prices and Supplies for anything which is in good 
faith done or intended to be done in pursuance of any order made under the Act. 
19. Power to make rules .– The Govern ment may, by notification in the official 
Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of the Act. 
20. Power to frame regulations. – Subject to the Act and the rules, the Council 
may, by notification in the official Gazette, frame regulations. 
21. Power to amend Schedule .– The Council may, by notification in official 
Gazette, amend the Schedule. 
22. Overriding effect .– Any order made under the Act shall have effect 
notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in any enactment other 
than the Act or any instrument having effect by virtue of any enactment other than 
the Act.  
23. Repeal and Saving.– (1) The Punjab Price Control of Essential Commodities  
Ordinance 2023 (V of 2024) is hereby repealed. 
 (2) Notwithstanding the repeal under sub sect ion (1) all actions taken 
under the repealed Ordinance shall be deemed to have been taken under the Act. 
 
SCHEDULE 
[see section 2(q)]  
1. White sugar. 
2. Wheat. 
3. Atta or Maida and its products. 
4. Gur. 
5. Paddy. 
6. Milk. 
7. Curd or Yogurt. 
8. Beef. 
9. Mutton. 
10. Chicken (Live & Meat). 
11. Eggs. 
12. Poultry feed. 
13. Fish of all sorts.  
14. Fruits and vegetables of all sorts. 
15. Pulses of all sorts. 
16. Spices of all sorts. 
17. Red chilies. 
18. Chemical fertilizer of all sorts. 
19. Phutti (Seed cotton). 
20. Corn. 
21. Pulses as farm produce.  
22. Gram (white and black) and its products. 
23. Edible oil seeds. 
24. Cotton (Lint). 
25. Seeds of all sorts. 
26. Pesticide, Fungicide, weedicide and herbicide.  
27. Oxygen gas and cylinder. 
28. LPG and LNG for domestic use.   
29. Surgical gloves. 
30. Face masks all sorts. 
31. Sanitizers. 
32. Surface cleaning products. 
33. Isopropyl alcohol. 
34. Edible oil and ghee of all sort. 
35. Coal. 
36. Bricks. 
37. Cement. 
38. Ordinary sand. 
39. Crush bajri. 
40. Mineral water and filtered water.  
41. Salt. 
42. Kerosene oil. 
43. Firewood. 
44. Ice. 
45. Tea. 
46. Naan Roti. 
47. Bread (Double Roti). 
48. Dates (Khajoor). 
49. Samoosa.