The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, on Thursday announced the formation of a joint committee with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, with the power of arrest to monitor prices at the cooperative societies.

The move comes to quash claims on rise in prices that followed the increase of rent of the societies, the Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor Abdul Aziz Shoaib said in a statement.

He added that the ministry is giving priority to protecting customers against any kind of unjustified rise of prices.

Shoaib noted that the main purpose of establishing cooperative societies was to serve the public by offering all types of products at considerable prices.