PM Imran orders massive crackdown against wheat hoarders

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered a massive crackdown against hoarders of wheat across the country on an urgent basis to ensure the availability of the commodity at affordable rates.

Presiding over a high-level meeting to review the wheat and flour supply situation in the country, PM Imran directed to launch a crackdown against elements involved in wheat hoarding across the country.

PM Khan directed the provincial chief secretaries to continue the policy of zero-tolerance against adulteration and not to make any concessions in this regard.

The prime minister ordered to ensure complete prevention of wheat smuggling. He directed that comprehensive administrative measures should be taken to further improve inter-provincial coordination.

He asked the Sindh chief secretary to finalize the wheat release policy in the province as soon as possible keeping in view the experience of the last year. The government would not allow anyone to create an artificial shortage of basic food items by hoarding, the PM added.

The PM directed that the plan for implementation of the decision to import wheat to meet the future needs of wheat and flour be finalized as soon as possible.

Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan had directed the authorities to ensure the availability of wheat at a reasonable price across the country.

Presiding over a high-level meeting, PM Imran had instructed to ensure wheat’s obstacle free inter-province movement and had added that unhindered availability of the commodity was the top priority of the government.

“It was resolved that the government would take all possible measures to control the prices of wheat and overcome shortages if any.” according to a  statement.