PAC panel vows to control fertiliser smuggling

Decides to hold meeting with interior ministry officials

ISLAMABAD:

The subcommittee of the Public Accounts Committee has expressed concern over fertiliser smuggling, vowing to take effective measures to prevent it.

According to details, the Ministry of Industries and Production officials told the meeting chaired by the convener Khurshid Ahmed Junejo that the demand was high and production was low and the prices were low in the country and high outside.

They also urged that there should be uniform price of gas.
The subcommittee reviewed the production cost, supply cost and market prices of fertiliser.

The meeting was also briefed on the number of fertiliser factories in the country, production capacities, prices of gas to be supplied and subsidies given to farmers.

Convener Junejo said, “We want fertiliser to reach the farmers easily.”
Regarding measures to prevent fertiliser smuggling, the officials of the Ministry of Industries and Production said that a committee had been formed in the Ministry of Interior.

The participants of the meeting said that more than half of the problems would be solved by controlling smuggling.

The subcommittee decided to hold a meeting with the officials of the Ministry of Interior for a briefing on the prevention of manure smuggling.