LAHORE: The Punjab government in order to check the rising prices of fertilizer and hoarding have decided to blacklist those dealers who will be found involved in profiteering. Chief Secretary Punjab Kamran Ali Afzal issued these directions and asked all the deputy commissioners to intensify the ongoing crackdown against the dealers involved in hoarding and profiteering.

While presiding over a video link meeting, the Chief Secretary said that the crackdown must be continued on the pattern of administrative measures taken against sugar hoarding. He asked the officers to ensure a prominent display of prices of fertilizers at the shops in the form of banners. He said that urea fertilizer was available in abundance but artificial shortage was being created through hoarding.

The Chief Secretary said that those making money by creating an artificial shortage of fertilizers would be dealt with iron hands and the dealers would be blacklisted if they do not stop profiteering. He mentioned that no one would be allowed to exploit farmers, adding that hoarders are culprits of growers and the whole nation.

He said ample availability of urea fertilizer would be ensured for the wheat crop. All the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners attended the meeting through video conferencing.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021