ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed that the mill owners, dealers and warehouse owners involved in smuggling should be brought to justice.

He stated this while chairing a review meeting on the prevention of smuggling of wheat, urea and sugar from the country on Tuesday.

The meeting was informed about the ongoing anti-trafficking operations at the border districts and the provincial borders of the country.

The meeting was told that the number of joint check posts of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and law enforcement agencies in the border districts of Balochistan has been increased to 10.

The meeting was also informed about the joint patrolling teams.

The meeting was further informed that during the last few weeks, more than 6,000 tons of smuggled items have been taken into custody by law enforcement agencies.

In the last week alone, the quantity of items confiscated during the operation was 4,342 tons which were present in truck convoys and warehouses with the intention of smuggling.

The meeting was also informed about the dismissal of the officers facilitating smuggling and the appointment of reputed officers on the identification of sensitive institutions.

The prime minister said that the government is planning to produce more wheat next year than this year and has started implementing a comprehensive plan for the uninterrupted supply of urea to the farmers for the upcoming crop.

He directed that immediate and strict action should be taken against the smugglers of wheat, urea, and sugar, and to punish them and no person involved in trafficking should be spared. He also established a steering committee to prevent smuggling under his chairmanship.

The prime minister instructed Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to visit Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan immediately

The Minister of Interior together with the provincial administration should submit a review report on the performance of the concerned officers.

The premier wanted that departmental action should be taken by dismissing the officers who are involved in smuggling or who are lax in preventing it.

The meeting was attended by federal ministers, Rana Sanaullah, Syed Murtaza Mahmood, Tariq Bashir Cheema, Adviser to Prime Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, heads of sensitive institutions, relevant senior officials, and representatives of law enforcement agencies.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023