PM Imran Khan orders close monitoring of essential commodities’ price

• PM Imran Khan chairs high-level meeting on availability and prices of essential commodities. 
• PM asked authorities to pursue legal action against profiteers and hoarders during Ramadan 
• PM orders strict implementation of coronavirus SOPs in Ramadan bazaars.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday ordered officials to closely monitor the prices of essential commodities and ensure they are available during the holy month of Ramadan so that the poor face no difficulty.

The PM issued the orders while chairing a high-level meeting on the availability and prices of essential commodities. The meeting was held a day before Ramadan.

Federal ministers Muhammad Hammad Azhar, Syed Fakhar Imam, Omar Ayub Khan, Special Assistants Dr Sania Nishtar and Dr Shahbaz Gill, secretaries of ministries concerned, chairman FBR, chief commissioner Islamabad and MD Utility Stores Corporation attended the meeting.

The PM asked authorities to pursue legal action against profiteers and hoarders during Ramadan and also ordered the strict implementation of coronavirus SOPs in the Ramadan bazaars.

Read more: PM Imran Khan, President Arif Alvi wish nation a blessed Ramadan

MD Utility Story Corporation told the meeting that a 20kg bag of flour was available at Rs800, sugar at Rs68 per kg and ghee at Rs170 per kg at the utility stores across the country. The meeting was informed that at present 2,600-ton flour, 2,000-ton sugar and 1,200-ton ghee was being sold daily at the utility stores.

The chief commissioner Islamabad informed the meeting that Sasta bazaars had been set up at various places in Islamabad where all essential commodities were available at low prices. He said essential items will also be available to the residents through the mobile vans because of the coronavirus epidemic.

The chief secretaries of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa informed the meeting that abundant availability of sugar and flour at fixed rates would be ensured. Energy Minister Omar Ayub Khan said there would be no unannounced loadshedding during Sehri and Iftar.