Wheat hoarders face crackdown
The government has started cracking down on interprovincial mafias and hoarders involved in flour and wheat smuggling and registered 158 cases in various operations and seized 1,679 metric tonnes of wheat and 1,496 metric tonnes of flour.
Emergency measures have been initiated to supply the required quantity of flour to the people.
The Punjab government has established cheap flour sale points where the availability of cheap flour is being ensured to the citizens due to significant shortage in the market.
After the imposition of Section 144 on the transportation of flour and wheat, extraordinary arrangements have also been made at the interprovincial checkpoints at Dajal Bhakkar to deal with smugglers with an iron hand to prevent smuggling.
Along with this, by starting a strong crackdown against the hoarders, a complaint cell has been set up at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office to stop any kind of hoarding or smuggling.
The cell will remain open 24 hours a day, and any complaint received shall be immediately brought to the notice of the responsible officials by the competent authorities.
A bag of 10 kilograms of flour is being sold at Rs648, which is Rs200 cheaper than the rate in the market.
In this regard, the government officials are seen making visits to maintain the transparency in flour supply.
The Commissioner of Sargodha Division, Maryam Khan, paid a surprise visit to Bhakkar on Monday and visited the sale point of cheap flour in Model Bazaar.
Carefully inspecting the records there, she checked the required weight of flour. She also sought details about the quality and quantity of flour from the people present on the spot.
A large number of people termed the quantity and quality of flour satisfactory. They appreciated the poor-friendly plan of the Punjab government.
On this occasion, Deputy Commissioner Khurram Shehzad and District Food Controller Chaudhry Javed Iqbal Waraich gave a detailed briefing about the measures taken for control of smuggling.
Commissioner Maryam Khan told the The Express Tribune that a full crackdown was on against the interprovincial mafia that smuggled flour and wheat.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2022.