The government of NWFP on Thursday directed the intelligence agencies and officials of City District Government and department of food for launching a massive crackdown against hoarders and profiteers of flour and booking them for punishment.
The directives were directed by the caretaker Chief Minister Shams-ul-Mulk while presiding two different meetings on flour crisis in the province. He directed the sparing none of the culprits to ensure availability of commodity on reasonable rate in the market.
Those who attended the meetings were included Chief Secretary NWFP, Secretary Food, Secretary Law, Nazim City District Government and other concerned officials.
The caretaker chief minister said it was his responsibility to initiate measurers for protecting the interest of the people, saying the shortage of flour was the main source of creating law and order situation. The prevailing situation, he said had necessitated immediate measures to ensure the availability of the commodity in the market on reasonable rate.
The province, he said would import 0.2 million tons of wheat and would also talk to the federal government for subsidy to ensure the availability of flour to the men on streets. He said, he had also talked to the governor Punjab for initiating immediate steps for the supply of wheat and flour to the open market in the Frontier province.
He said that the Frontier province has a strategic locational position, which should be realistically comprehended. The elements involved in creating shortage of the commodity ranges from profiteers and hoarders to ulterior designs, whose consequent victims are the poor people of the province. He said, he had talked to the governor Punjab to see to the unofficial restrictions on the movement of wheat and atta from Punjab to Frontier province.
Shams directed for constant checking of the availability of atta on reasonable rates and directed that the hoarders and profiteers should be de-listed and black listed for perpetual. There should be a proper system to monitor the availability position of atta in the market, he added. He said the government has taken immediate steps to tackle this problem.
Referring to the seizure of wheat, the chief minister directed that being perishable item it should be sold out in the open market on competitive biddings and the money generated be deposited in a safe account, and a final decision would be taken in the light of the court verdict. However, he directed that before doing so all legal formalities should be completed.
He expressed the hope that the government efforts for the availability of atta in the market on reasonable rate would make a big difference and the "man in the street" will get relief. However, he reminded the people of their responsibility that if they have some information about the hoardings and profiteering they should bring them to the notice of the government so that the government could initiate action against culprits.