ANP seeks action against profiteers amid pandemic

PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) provincial general secretary Sardar Hussain Babak has asked the government to take action against hoarders and profiteers to provide relief to the masses during the lockdown.

He said that an artificial shortage of daily use items has been created across the province. The ANP leader asked the government to direct the district administrations to take stern action against the profiteers, saying the government should release Zakat fund that would provide relief to the poor and daily wagers.

Babak said that an increase in the Benazir Income Support Programme was needed as commercial activities had been stopped in the wake of coronavirus pandemic. The ANP leader said that people across the province were reporting a shortage of food items. He asked the government to lower the prices of petroleum products, saying that the government should stop experiments and devise a strategy to lower the prices of the essential items.

He requested the public to extend support to needy people in their neighbourhoods. The ANP leader urged the government to take all political leaders onboard and prepare a plan for ensuring support to the underprivileged across the province.

He said solo flight in a pandemic was not possible and that would create problems but the steps taken with consultation would help steer the nation out of the chaotic situation. Babak also criticised the government for failing to provide required equipment to hospitals and laboratories.

He said that public support and concrete steps by the government were the only way to contain the pandemic. The ANP leader suggested to the government to stop all infrastructural development schemes and divert those funds to equip all hospitals across the province.