ISLAMABAD: In order to ensure supply of essential items on controlled price, the federal cabinet on Tuesday decided to launch a massive crackdown against hoarders of sugar and wheat/flour in the country.
Upon arrival in the meeting, the prime minister was warmly greeted by his cabinet colleagues. The cabinet also permitted the parliamentarians to keep portfolios in the boards of different state entities provided they will not take extra perks for the additional position.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz said parliamentarians can become member of boards of those departments whose laws allow them to become members.
The minister said there was no bar that only ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI's) parliamentarians could become members of boards but those from opposition could also become their members.
According to the agenda of the meeting a proposal was presented regarding "presentation on disqualification of parliamentarians to be members of boards, authorities, commissions etc" and it was approved by the cabinet.
The cabinet was apprised that the Trade Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) on Tuesday opened tenders for import of 0.3 million tonnes of sugar.
"Shipments of imported sugar will start arriving from Sept 7 and there will be no sugar shortage in the country," information minister Shibli Faraz said.
He said the decision to import sugar was taken to ensure adequate supply of the commodity and to keep its prices stable.
Faraz said Prime Minister Khan had asked Federal Minister for Industries Hammad Azhar and Punjab's senior minister Abdul Aleem Khan to hold another round of talks with sugar mill owners, so that they reduce price of sugar voluntarily, otherwise, strict action would be taken against them.
In order to overcome shortage of wheat/flour, the government had opened tenders for import of 0.54 million tonnes of wheat, he said.
"65,000 metric tonnes will arrive from Sept 24 to Oct 1," he added.
"With the import of sugar and wheat, an artificial crisis of the two commodities will be over," he hoped.
The minister said the cabinet took a decision for revival of state-run Pakistan Television (PTV).
"We are coming up with a new plan that will revive PTV," he said, adding that liabilities of PTV had gone up to Rs13 billion.
Regarding the pension issue, he said the prime minister was quite concerned about pension of retired government employees and the cabinet decided to seek assistance of international experts in the pension system.
In response to a question, the minister said the federal government had been playing its role in cleanliness and development of Karachi. "Karachi is a commercial hub of the country and everyone has to play his role in its development, but unfortunately, Sindh government treated Karachi like a step child," he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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