PM Shehbaz directs strict action against wheat, sugar smugglers

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to take strict action against the smugglers of wheat, sugar and urea, adversely impacting Pakistan’s foreign remittances and usurping the right of Pakistani people, ARY News reported.

The prime minister issues the directives while chairing a meeting to review the measures to curb the smuggling of the commodities.

During the meeting, a steering committee – which would be chaired by PM Shehbaz Sharif – was constituted to prevent smuggling of wheat, sugar and urea.

The prime minister said he would not rest until the country got rid of the menace of smuggling.

He further said that he would never allow some black sheep to usurp the country’s foreign remittances and the right of the people of Pakistan.

He said due to Allah’s blessing and government’s efforts, the country had got bumper wheat crop breaking the record for last ten years.

He said the people of Pakistan had all the rights over this produce achieved consequent to the farmers’ hard work and the government’s efforts, despite the heavy rains and floods.

The prime minister reiterated that he would never allow the smugglers to create problems for the people. He said the government was also carrying out plans to achieve even more wheat production by next year.

He said the government had also started implementing a comprehensive plan to ensure uninterruped supply of urea to the farmers for the next crop. He resolved that the government would make all-out efforts to Pakistan a wheat exporter.

PM Shehbaz also directed Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to personally visit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to meet the provincial authorities and submit a report.

He said that the officials involved in the smuggling or showing negligence would be removed and departmental proceedings would be initiated against them.

He also instructed confiscated the goods being smuggled and hold proper investigation to trace out the real culprits. He also called for increasing the number of anti-smuggling courts and build their capacity to cope with the menace.