The Punjab government on Saturday continued its crackdown on smuggling and hoarding of wheat in the province, media reported.
In line with the government’s efforts to tighten the noose against smugglers and hoarders, the local administration of the Dera Ghazi Khan recovered 10,000 wheat sacks, while 5,000 wheat bags were recovered from Bahawalnagar and Layyah respectively.
In a separate action in Multan, 20,000 bags full of wheat were seized and the accused were taken into the custody. Punjab’s Senior Food Minister Abdul Aleem Khan said the provincial government is taking stern action against the hoarders of wheat and he is monitoring the process by himself.
Khan ensured that there would be no shortage of wheat in the province. Last week, the Punjab government had conducted raids in Attock, Chiniot, Piplan, Sadiqabad, Multan, Hafizabad, Sargodha and Mandi Bahauddin.
A bid to smuggle wheat via Indus River was also thwarted and scores of sacks full of grain were taken into custody. Punjab Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan had said the government would not allow anyone to create an artificial shortage of basic food items by hoarding.
Those indulging in such practices in the fasting month of Ramazan are the country’s enemy, he maintained.
South Punjab is more sensitive due to being a provincial border area due to which they try to smuggle wheat by taking advantage of the storage opportunity. He said that Punjab Food Department is fully alert and vigilant and will not allow anyone to stockpile wheat.
Abdul Aleem Khan said that those who hoard wheat are the culprits of the nation, operations are underway against them in every district and no concession will be made to anyone.
He said that there would be no shortage of wheat in an agricultural province like Punjab and In Sha Allah the target of procurement of wheat would be met on time. Senior & Food Minister Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan further said that a clear message has been sent to the wheat stockiest and strict action is being taken on the spot which I am personally monitoring. I am grateful for the continued support of the media in this national campaign, through whose efforts the hoarders are reaching their logical conclusion, Abdul Aleem Khan concluded.
Senior & Food Minister Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan has taken notice of the news of increase in wheat and flour prices and asked for report from the Food Department in this regard.
Abdul Aleem Khan said that ample supply of wheat and flour to the people at fixed rates is the first priority and responsibility of the Government and in this regard no one will be allowed to indulge nor sell wheat to the citizens at high prices by flour mills.
He said that genuine flour mills are cooperating fully and the Government is buying wheat only for flour mills but ghost mills want to blackmail for their own purposes.
Abdul Aleem Khan said that the Government would not come under any pressure and strict action would be taken against flour mills which were trying to increase prices unilaterally.
