ISLAMABAD, FEB 18 (DNA) : For providing the poor with relief, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday ordered strict and speedy crackdown against profiteers and hoarders “who are responsible for spike in the prices of essential food items and creating artificial inflation.”
The premier further directed the concerned authorities to review prices of essential food items, and reduce the prices by 15 to 20 percent.
The PM stressed that the essential food items should not be hoarded illegally. “Benefit of the poor surpasses everything else.”
PM Khan also held a meeting considering health, education and other civic facilities of the federal capital, and said no negligence would be tolerated in provision of best possible healthcare facilities to the masses and that all resources would be provided to ensure quality of education.
He directed the health secretary to pay special attention to make administration of public sector hospitals fully functional.
He asked officials to overcome the shortage of manpower in the hospitals and ensure provision of medicines.
Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood briefed the meeting about the steps taken to bring improvements in 423 public sector schools and colleges of the federal capital.
The premier further directed addressing the issue of shortage of teachers in schools. “Since it is the matter of our future, we should consider education at the highest priority, and take all the requisite steps to bring improvement in it.”
Khan directed that a roadmap should be prepared for provision of quality education at all schools and colleges of the federal capital. He also emphasised the need for paying special attention to the education of girls.
Regarding encroachments in parks and green areas in Islamabad, the Prime Minister directed the Chairman of the CDA that those violating the rules of the civic authority in the residential colonies should be identified to take appropriate action against them.
Discussing the law and order situation of Islamabad, Khan directed to establish complaint management system in every police station.
He directed the interior minister to review the manpower and financial requirements of Islamabad police so that requisite steps could be taken to make the federal capital a model city in terms of its security.
Yesterday, PM Imran held a meeting and required Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial authorities to immediately consider suggestions for reducing prices of wheat.
The wheat procurement targets will be doubled to meet the demand for wheat, and the Sugar Advisory Board will determine the cost of sugar through a third-party evaluation.
Moreover, the premier directed officials to take strict action in preventing smuggling of onion, wheat, and other essential commodities from eastern and western borders.
The prime minister further ordered reducing price of ghee sighting reduction in international market for providing relief to the poor.
“The matter should be raised before the Economic Coordination Committee for implementation of the plan,” the PM directed, adding that stabilising the prices of essential food items was critical for giving relief to the needy.
PM Imran asserted that ensuring provision of basic necessities for the general public at maximum possible reduced cost “is his government’s top priority”.
He stressed on paying special attention towards gathering real data about stocks of wheat, sugar and other food items so that accurate estimates of supply and demand could be made, and advance arrangements for procurement could be ensured.
