PM Shehbaz directs immediate & stern action against smugglers of wheat, urea & sugar & taking them to the task

ISLAMABAD, May 02 (SABAH): Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed immediate and stern action against smugglers of wheat, urea and sugar and taking them to the task.

PM Shehbaz Sharif was chairing a review meeting regarding the prevention of smuggling of wheat, urea and sugar in Islamabad on Tuesday. The Prime Minister said he will not take a back seat till the elimination of the scourge of smuggling from the country.

He said a handful of black sheep will not be allowed to plunder the national exchequer and harm interests of the people of Pakistan.

Shehbaz Sharif said with the blessings of Allah Almighty and efforts of the government, wheat production was recorded the highest in the last one decade.

The Prime Minister said the government is planning to produce more wheat next year as compared to this year. He added that a comprehensive plan has been started to ensure an uninterrupted supply of urea to farmers for the upcoming crop.

He said with the blessing of God, the government is striving hard to make Pakistan, once again a wheat-exporting country. He said no person involved in smuggling will be spared and a steering committee has been constituted to curb check pilferage of wheat and other commodities. The Prime Minister will himself chair the steering committee.

He directed Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan to immediately visit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and compile a performance report of the concerned officers in collaboration with the provincial administrations and present it to him. He said officers involved in smuggling should be dismissed from the service and after taking departmental action against them.

The Prime Minister said real culprits should be brought to justice by conducting a thorough examination of the goods confiscated from smugglers. He said the number and capacity of anti-smuggling courts should be enhanced.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has assured all possible cooperation of the Government of Pakistan for the development of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

He was talking to a delegation led by AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq in Islamabad on Tuesday. PM Shehbaz Sharif gave assurance to the delegation that issues pertaining to the development funds of Azad Kashmir will be resolved at the earliest.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan is standing by the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their struggle for freedom and the government of Pakistan will continue extending its moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination. He said India’s illegal action of 5 August 2019 is a gross violation of human rights and the international community, especially the United Nations, should take notice of this.

Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistani nation will always stand by its Kashmiri brethren in their struggle for freedom. He said we exposed the Indian atrocities on Kashmiris in at every international forum.

The delegation, include AJK Government ministers comprising Col. Retired Waqar Ahmed Noor and Faisal Mumtaz Rathor. President AJK chapter of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Shah Ghulam Qadir, former AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan, President AJK chapter of Pakistan People’s Party Chaudhry Muhammad Yaseen, and Member Legislative Assembly Chaudhry Latif Akbar also attended the meeting.

Besides, Federal Ministers Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry as well as Prime Minister’s Advisor on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Chaudhry Qamar Zaman Kaira were also present on the occasion.