KP CM Mahmood Khan directs officials to take on hoarders

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Sunday directed the district administrations throughout the province to take actions against hoarders who were creating an artificial price-hike of the essential food items, especially atta (wheat flour).

According to an official handout, he issued the directives after the media reports and public complaints about the artificial price spiral of atta and other food items in the markets. The chief minister said all deputy commissioners should send teams in the field to discourage hoarding of essential items especially wheat products, he added and punitive actions should be initiated. He directed convening of the meetings of the consumers' committee and hold regular meetings of the body to take steps for the price control of Atta and other commodities of daily use.

Mahmood Khan directed that daily reports about the overall market situation and stability of prices of Atta and other food items should be shared with Performance Management and Reforms Unit for onward transmission to the chief minister. The chief minister said he is personally monitoring the situation and warned of taking action against stockiest, hoarders and unwarranted price spiral of Atta and other food items. Meanwhile, the provincial government rejected the demand to increase the price of roti. The chief minister directed to supply Atta to nanbais trough nominated dealers on government fixed rates.

The meeting of district administration and consumers committee was going on and nanbai association representatives were present there. The government is ready to arrange fine Atta to nanbais on subsidized rate. Fine Atta is available in the market that will be increased further, said the chief minister. He said the nanbais had cooperated with the government in the past and hoped they would do so in future as well.