ISLAMABAD: Authorities on Monday recovered as much as 16,000 tonnes of sugar and wheat from hoarders during a crackdown based on a tip-off from Prime Minister Imran Khan's Corona Relief Tiger Force.
According to a report, the raid was carried out by the government of Punjab on PM Imran's orders against the hoarders.
The Tiger Force had reportedly provided special information about the hoarders, following which Rs1.1 billion worth of stocked-up sugar and wheat were seized.
In addition, almost 716 tonnes of wheat, 2,000 tonnes of rice, 10,000 kilogrammes of unhealthy meat and 800,000 litres of milk were also been recovered and subsequently destroyed.
In this regard, PM Imran has directed that the recovered sugar, wheat, and rice be sold in the market at the rates set by the government.
Advising the Punjab government to stabilise wheat prices, the premier directed for the price of a 20kg bag of flour to be reduced by Rs150 and emergency measures be taken to control the prices of flour.
Meanwhile, PM Imran Monday directed all the provincial chief secretaries for the formulation of a well-coordinated strategy under the Minister for National Food Security for equal pricing of wheat and flour in all the provinces, besides ensuring sufficient stock of these commodities with regard to the requirement of any province.
He directed this while chairing a meeting to review measures for bringing down prices of essential commodities, PM Office media wing in a press release said.
The prime minister observed that strategy should focus on farmers and common man as in the past, the elements involved in hoarding and undue profits had not only deprived the farmers of their just profits but also forced the ordinary people to purchase flour at exorbitant prices.
The meeting was attended by Minister for National Food Security Syed Fakhar Imam, Adviser on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr Shahbaz Gill and senior officials.
Chief secretaries of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and additional secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa attended the meeting through video link.
The prime minister directed that there should be no impediments in the inter-provincial transportation of wheat as the provision and availability of regular and low-price wheat was his government’s priority.
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