Tag: hoarding

  • Prize money for informants against smuggling, hoarding, illegal immigrants, says Sarfaraz Bugti

    Prize money for informants against smuggling, hoarding, illegal immigrants, says Sarfaraz Bugti

    Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said in a media talk on Sunday that the federal administration will have zero tolerance against smuggling. He also said that the caretaker government will give prize money to those who provide information on smuggling, hoarding, and illegal immigrants.

    In a joint press conference with the caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi, Sarfaraz Bugti also stressed that all state institutions will go to any length to eliminate the menace of smuggling and hoarding in the country.

    The caretaker government recovered sugar and urea in a very large quantity in different parts of the country, and operations against wheat, sugar, urea, dollars, and other commodities is still continuing, he added.

    Almost 59 people who were involved in the illegal business of Hundi-Hawala have also been arrested, the security czar said.

    “But what is ironic is that now the elements involved in smuggling have started hoarding various things,” he added.

    On a question regarding terrorist attacks from Afghanistan, Bugti said that the neighbouring country should abide by the Doha Agreement, which is a surety that Afghan soil will not be used against any country.

  • Rawalpindi, Islamabad residents forced to buy low-quality flour at exorbitant prices

    Rawalpindi, Islamabad residents forced to buy low-quality flour at exorbitant prices

    Residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are paying exorbitant prices for low-quality flour due to the poor performance of the District Food Department. The officials in charge have failed to take concrete steps to prevent smuggling and hoarding of flour, despite lip service and paperwork.

    As a result, locals are forced to pay more for flour than in any other city in the country. Dealers have hoarded ‘Atta’ and are selling a 15-kilogram bag for Rs2,300 to Rs2,650, while ‘Chakki’ owners are selling 1-kilogram ‘atta’ for Rs180 to Rs200. The price of a 20-kilogram ‘atta’ bag has reached Rs3,200 to Rs3,500 in retail shops.

    The Utility Store Corporation (USC) has resumed providing subsidized flour, but the quality is poor. The District Food Department and flour mill owners are working together to supply unhygienic flour at high prices. The department is not taking action to stop smuggling or control profiteers and hoarders, playing on both sides of the wicket.

    According to The News, District Food Controller (DFC) Hasan Nazir has admitted to a flour shortage in Rawalpindi and has written to the Secretary of Food (Punjab) to issue special permits for wheat supply. He assures the public that the ‘atta’ crisis will be resolved within weeks, and they are working to stop wheat smuggling, with over 600 wheat-filled vehicles stopped en route to Afghanistan.

    However, corrupt officials within the District Food Department are involved in wheat smuggling to Afghanistan via Torkham, and only ten vehicles are being stopped to show performance in the media while the officers let 90 vehicles go. The corrupt officials have several pending cases against them in the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Rawalpindi, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

    Despite Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif claiming a bumper wheat crop this year, residents are struggling to afford basic necessities due to the inflated price of flour. The Punjab government has set the price of 40-kilogram wheat at Rs3,900, but owners are violating this order and selling it for Rs5,400 to Rs6,000 in Rawalpindi. The situation is dire, with many struggling to afford basic necessities due to the inflated price of flour.

  • Punjab police seizes 1.3 million litres of illegally hoarded petrol in a crackdown

    Punjab police seizes 1.3 million litres of illegally hoarded petrol in a crackdown

    Pursuant to the warning issued by Petroleum Minister Dr Musadik Malik, the Punjab police initiated a crackdown against individuals engaged in the illicit stockpiling of petrol and diesel in several areas of the province, including Sheikhupura, Patoki, and Daska.

    The Inspector General of Punjab issued directives for strict enforcement against such practices and instructed that decisive action be taken against those found to be responsible.

    In accordance with the directives, police teams conducted raids on multiple fuel stations in Sheikhupura and Patoki, resulting in the recovery of over 1.3 million litres of petrol that had been illegally stockpiled by mafias. The contraband was found stored in underground tanks in warehouses, and over a dozen containers filled with gasoline were also seized.

    The District Police Officer, Zahid Marwat, reported that the value of the recovered gasoline exceeds 300 million rupees. He further stated that appropriate legal action, including the filing of charges, will be taken against those found to be responsible for the hoarding of fuel.

    On Wednesday, Minister of State for Petroleum, Musadik Malik, dispelled all rumors of a shortage of petroleum products in the country.

    According to ARY News, during a press conference held in Islamabad, the state minister stated that Pakistan has an ample supply of both diesel and gasoline. He issued a warning to those engaged in hoarding, stating that the government will revoke licenses for those found to be artificially creating a shortage of these products.

    The minister also sought to dispel any notion that the government is responsible for increasing the prices of petroleum products.

  • Govt contemplating three years jail for hoarders

    The federal government is working on a new rule to discourage hoarding and make the actions against profiteering more strict.

    According to details, Prime Minister Imran Khan had directed Minister for Law and Justice Farogh Naseem to draft an ordinance on the matter and that an ordinance has been sent to the PM for approval.

    The ordinance has suggested maximum sentence of three years in jail for the violators. They will also be fined 50% of the cost of the items they were stocking.

    According to the ordinance, all hoarded items would be seized and then auctioned off at different markets.

    The PM will present the ordinance in the Cabinet and after its approval, it will be sent to the President.