Hoarders to be handed strict punishment under new law: minister

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Law Farogh Naseem on Sunday said the government has prepared an ordinance to curb smuggling of essential commodities and punish hoarders, ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference, Farogh Naseem announced that the law ministry has prepared an ordinance on hoarding on the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan, to curb the shortage of essentials during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Anyone who is involved in hoarding will face severe punishments,” he said, adding that the anti-smuggling ordinance has been sent to the premier and expected to release it by Monday or Tuesday.

The minister said an anti-smuggling law is also being brought to prevent smuggling of dollars and essential commodities such as sugar and wheat through undeclared routes.

Under the ordinance, those found guilty of hoarding will be slapped with a three-year sentence, summary trial and confiscation of the material for hoarding of wheat, sugar, flour, ghee, sanitizers, face masks and other essential items, said Farogh Naseem.

“Government will not let anyone exploit the prevailing situation. A law about industries is also being prepared,” added law minister.

Speaking on the occasion, Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Justice Maleeka Bukhari said these laws are a manifestation of the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and fulfillment of the PTI’s manifesto.

She said the hoarding and anti-smuggling laws will bring ease in the life of the ordinary people.

President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday promulgated an ordinance aimed at tackling the hoarding of essential food items and goods.

The new ordinance that has come into effect with the ratification by the president stipulates maximum three years of imprisonment and fine equal to 50 per cent of the seized items’ value for hoarders.

According to the law, any dealer found hoarding any of the 32 consumer items mentioned in the ordinance “shall be guilty of an offence punishable with simple imprisonment up to three (3) years and fine equivalent to 50 per cent of the value of the scheduled articles involved in the case.”

The items include sugar, milk, powdered milk, tea, edible oil, fruit juices and squashes, salt, potatoes, onions, pulses, fish, beef, mutton, eggs, spices and vegetables, red chili, medicinal drugs, kerosene, rice, wheat, flour, chemical fertilisers, poultry food, surgical gloves, face masks, N95 masks, and sanitisers.