Punjab Minister for Agriculture Malik Ahmed Ali Aulakh was deputed by the Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif to monitor Ramazan Bazaars in Multan and Muzaffargarh during the holy month.
He visited the bazaars and monitored the availability of atta and sugar, also checked the quality of edibles and rate lists. Religious Affairs Minister Haji Ehsanuddin Qureshi was monitoring Bahawalpur, Rahimyar Khan and Lodhran district.
Special Education Minister Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar was monitoring Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur and Layyah, Labour Minister Ashraf Khan Sohna monitored Vehari, Khanewal and Bahawalnagar districts. Revenue Minister Haji Muhammad Ishaq monitored Mianwali and Bhakkar. While Food Minister Malik Nadeem Kamran held responsible for monitoring Rawalpindi and Attock.
According to a notification issued by SGAD (Cabinet Wing), provincial ministers have been directed to check food prices during Ramazan and sent inspection reports to the Chief Minister's Secretariat. According to the directive, Local Government Minister Sardar Dost Mohammed Khan Khosa would monitor Faisalabad and Toba Tek Singh.
Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan would monitor Sargodha and Khushab districts. Finance Minister Tanvir Ashraf Kaira would monitor Sahiwal, Pakpattan and Okara. Population Welfare Minister Neelam Jabbar Chaudhry would monitor Sheikhupura, Nankana and Kasur. Labour Minister Ashraf Khan Sohna would monitor Vehari, Khanewal and Bahawalnagar districts.
Prisons Minister Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor would monitor Sialkot, Narowal, Gujranwala. Religious Affairs Minister Haji Ehsanuddin Qureshi would monitor Bahawalpur, Rahimyar Khan and Lodhran. Agriculture Minister Ahmad Ali Aulakh would monitor Multan and Muzaffargarh.
Food Minister Malik Nadeem Kamran would monitor Rawalpindi and Attock. Special Education Minister Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar would monitor DG Khan, Rajanpur and Layyah.
Sports Minister Tanvirul Islam would monitor Gujrat and Mandi Bahauddin. Human Rights Minister Kamran Michael would monitor Jhang. Information Technology Minister Farooq Yousuf Ghurki would monitor Hafizabad and Chiniot. Excise and Taxation Minister Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman would monitor Jhelum, Chakwal.
Taking undue advantage of a weak distribution system of subsidised 'atta' and sugar, a handful of people are able to purchase the commodities from the mobile points set up by the city district administration for holy month of Ramazan in bulk. Still it is very difficult for the deserving people to purchase a 20-kg bag of subsidised 'atta' at Rs 200.
It is learnt that some people are able to purchase 20-kg 'atta' bags and sugar in bulk from the mobile points and 'Ramazan Sasta Bazaars' and many are left empty handed. Several times unruly incidents occur after the completion of distribution process, and the people who fail to get 'atta' or sugar start quarrelling with the city district administration staffers.
Punjab Minister Ahmed Ali Aulakh said that the government wants to facilitate public, however, it is unfortunate that some people are taking undue advantage of this relaxation and not co-operating with the city district government staffers.
'Some people are trying to stock food items, particularly 'atta' and sugar through different tactics. A man or a woman comes again and again at a point for buying 'atta' and sugar in a single day and it has become almost impossible for other needy people to buy the commodity for their routine use,' he added.
He said, keeping in view the problem, the city district government will issue chits to the buyers and they will be given 'atta' bags on showing their identity cards or utility bills, and the district government staffers will maintain a register by writing down the names, identity card numbers and addresses of the buyers to control this menace.