PM authorizes major crackdown against hoarding, smuggling

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a masive crackdown on sugar smuggling, hoarding, and profiteering.

He expressed his strong displeasure at the reports of illegal profiteering and smuggling while in charge of a high-level meeting here. Mohsin Naqvi, the acting chief minister, Ahad Cheema, the special assistant to the prime minister, the inspector general of the Punjabi police, and other officials were present at the meeting. The PM made the decision to call a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Monday to finalize the anti-smuggling measures.

During the meeting, a strategy would be formed for countrywide action to eradicate the smuggling of sugar and other items.

Shehbaz Sharif directed that the elements involved in profiteering and hoarding should be dealt with iron hands and given exemplary punishment.

He said that people could not be left at the mercy of smugglers, profiteers and hoarders. “We will take action against those who are causing difficulties for the people.”

He instructed Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi to take effective steps and monitor the situation in order to control the price of sugar in the province.

He said the provincial government should devise a method to provide at a standard price the sugar confiscated from smugglers and hoarders.

The prime minister also instructed the chief minister Punjab to hold a meeting with sugar mills owners for taking steps with them to stop the prices of sugar from rising.

He also held a meeting on the issue last week in Islamabad and measures taken by him brought the price of sugar to Rs 92 per kilogram.