Hammad asks provinces to ensure availability of flour at affordable rates

ISLAMABAD: In a bid to provide relief to the masses, Federal Minister for Finance, Revenue, Industries and Production Muhammad Hammad Azhar on Monday asked the provinces to ensure the availability of wheat flour at the lowest possible prices, ARY News reported.

Presiding over a meeting of the National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) held at the Finance Division today, Hammad Azhar directed the representatives of the provincial governments to take appropriate measures for keeping prices of the wheat flour bags in check.

He urged the provinces to take all possible measures to ensure smooth supply of wheat at fair prices across the board. During the meeting, the finance minister reviewed the procurement plans of the provinces and issued strict directions to assure that the wheat must be procured in a smooth and timely manner in coordination with all federal and provincial organizations.

He expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made and initiatives taken by the provincial governments in this regard.

Earlier today, the session of all federal spokespersons and senior government huddle chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan had concluded on an agenda to bring down essential commodity prices ahead of holy month Ramzan.

Speaking to the media after the session, the federal minister for interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad had said the PM directed utmost relief to the people as the holy month inches closer.

All edible and essential items must be made cheaper for the consumers and thus a direction had been made to Finance Minister Hammad Azhar to make it happen, Rasheed had added.