Punjab Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that interests of the poor consumers will be safeguarded at any cost and in this connection government will fulfil all its responsibilities. He said that people could not be left at the mercy of hoarders and provision of sugar at the fixed government rate would be ensured.
He directed authorities concerned to bring the confiscated sugar stocks in the market and sell them at the reasonable rate. He said that Ramazan bazaars had been established in order to provide quality edibles at affordable rates to the masses during Ramazan-ul-Mubarak.
He said that a special cell had been set up at the provincial level for keeping a watchful eye on prices while responsibilities had been assigned to provincial ministers as well as secretaries for monitoring the prices in various districts. He was addressing a high level meeting held to review measures taken against the elements involved in the hoarding of sugar as well as establishment of Ramazan Bazaars in the province here on Tuesday.
Minister for Food, Malik Nadeem Kamran, Addl Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Inspector General of Police, Secretary Food, Secretary Industries, Commissioner Lahore and other officers concerned were present on the occasion. Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that the sole objective of the crackdown against hoarders of sugar was to ensure its easy availability to the common man in open market at a reasonable rate.
He clarified that the ongoing crackdown was not against small dealers and sugar mill owners, but the elements involved in hoarding and a substantial success had been achieved. He said that the crackdown would continue till the recovery of the last grain of hoarded sugar.