The government on Wednesday vowed to take strict action against those elements involved in smuggling of essential items and to make border control system more active and monitor inter-provincial transportation. These decision were made in the meeting co-chaired by Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah Khan and Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif which reviewed the measures regarding the prevention of smuggling of wheat, sugar, fertilizer and other essential items.
Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for National Food Security Tariq Bashir Cheema, Minister for Industries Makhdoom Murtaza Mehmood, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Revenue Tariq Mehmood Pasha, Interior Secretary Ali Murtaza, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue Asif Ahmed and representatives of federal and provincial institutions also attended the meeting.
Minister for Interior reiterated the government’s resolve to take strict action against elements involved in smuggling and their facilitators. He directed to ensure the implementation of a track and trace system on essential items so that the elements involved in the smuggling of these items can be checked.
He instructed to prevent the excessive supply of essential commodities in the border districts and take action against those involved in the excessive stocking. The minister said strict action will be taken against officers and staff involved in smuggling. For this purpose, he stressed the need of lunching joint operations and intelligence sharing of the institutions. He said that the smuggling of essential commodities out of the country needs an emergent step to control it.
