Crackdown on hoarders to continue: CM

CHIEF Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday said the crackdown on hoarders of sugar would continue throughout the province. He said the action was being taken against hoarders and not sugar mill owners, adding that big hoarders would especially be targeted.

He said sugar hidden in the fields would also be recovered for providing relief to people and asked all the sugar dealers to bring their stocks in the market and sell at the fixed rates. He asked all the commissioners and district coordination officers to get details from sugar dealers about their stocks.

The chief minister was addressing a meeting held regarding hoarding of sugar and provision of affordable daily use items in Ramazan bazaars in the province.

Shahbaz said that besides cheap sugar, pulses, milk, poultry at Ramazan bazaars, quality vegetables and fruits would also be available through green channel. He directed the officials concerned that in addition to 2.5 kg sugar bags, one kg packets should also be provided in Ramazan bazaars. He said that there was no shortage of sugar in the province but the dealers by hoarding sugar had increased its prices, adding that the poor were forced to purchase the item at high prices. He said the hoarded sugar should be brought into the market and such a balanced system should be evolved for the determination of sugar price as a result of which dealers might get due profit and sugar could be made available to the consumers at proper rates.

The CM asked all the dealers to announce their stocks of sugar and sell them in the market. He said all the sugar mill owners should get the sold sugar lifted by their dealers by August 18. He directed the departments concerned to search the stocks of sugar hidden at various places and take strict action against the hoarders.

Mr Shahbaz said that provision of quality essential items would be ensured at all costs in Ramazan bazaars and all the arrangements had been completed in this regard. He said all brands of ghee would be available at Rs 5 per kg less than the market rates in Ramazan bazaars while high quality sugar would be available at Rs 40 per kg and in this regard, arrangements had been made for 30,000 tonnes of sugar. He said the government had launched action against hoarders for ensuring the availability of sugar to people at fixed prices and it was also the right of dealers to take due profit on sugar by selling it in the market.

Source: The News