PM directs effective steps to check hoarding, profiteering

November 7, 2019: Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed to make administrative steps more effective to curtail hoarders and profiteers.

He was chairing a meeting on controlling the prices of essential items in Islamabad on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister directed the provincial administration to take effective steps against profiteering and hoarding besides sending daily and weekly analysis report on rising and fall of prices of essential items at urban and rural tehsils of each district to the Prime Minister Office to keep a check on the situation of prices.

The Prime Minister further said due to climate impact the availability of commodities should be determined on proper time so that there is no shortage of commodities.

The meeting decided that the government will provide farmers place at every Tehsil where they could sell their commodities without any fee or expenditure.

The forum also decided to utilize the network of Utility Stores across the country in a better way to provide people with the essential items on realistic and reasonable prices.

Imran Khan directed to make border management more effective to stop the smuggling of wheat, flour and fine flour. The meeting decided to take strict action against elements involved in smuggling and the officials abetting them.

The Prime Minister was informed of the reduction in prices of ghee after the decision of the government to defer the implementation of axel load. The Prime Minister said the reduction in prices of ghee should be ensured to provide relief to the public after the deferment of axel load implementation.

Imran Khan directed to establish a special cell in the Ministry of Food Security on an immediate basis in order to make timely decisions based on demand and supply estimates in future. It will also help institutionalize the demand and supply estimate system concerning essential items used by people.

The Prime Minister also directed to utilize the technology to reduce the difference in prices. The Prime Minister said it is state obligation to ensure availability of items of daily use to each citizen and all-out steps be taken in this regard so that no citizen sleeps hungry.

Provincial Chief Ministers briefed the Prime Minister on availability of wheat in the provinces and its prices. It was apprised that the availability of wheat in the provinces is satisfactory and there is no complaint of the commodity shortage in any part of the country. 

Chief Commissioner Islamabad briefed the meeting on the app 'Accurate Prices' to provide information to the public on prices of various items.

The meeting decided to replicate the system implemented in the federal capital to large cities of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Meanwhile, chairing a briefing regarding proposed new local bodies system in the federal capital,

Prime Minister Imran Khan says new local government system is aimed at transfer of powers to grass root level and to ensure development and solution of problems at a local level.

He said that the new local government system to be introduced by the PTI Government will bring about a revolution to empower the people of Pakistan.

He said under the new system, the mayor will be directly elected by the people.