PM Imran Khan orders steps to stabilise essential items’ prices

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday directed the provincial chief secretaries to ensure all possible administrative measures to stabilise the prices of basic essential items, particularly monitoring of the illogical difference of prices at wholesale and retail levels.

Presiding over a meeting to review the demand and supply, as well as the prices of basic essential items, the premier said as the prices of basic essential items hit the common man, the present government’s foremost priority was to protect them, he added.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said that as mere action against the officers of administration was not enough, results of the administrative steps should be seen so that the masses get relief.

He directed to ensure comprehensive planning and timely measures keeping in view the future needs of sugar and wheat.

The prime minister was briefed about a comparative review of the prices of basic essential items across the country with particular focus on the prices at wholesale and retail levels.

The meeting was briefed in detail about the existing sugar and wheat stocks in the country and the measures being taken to cater to the future requirements.

The meeting was also briefed about the steps being taken to bring about a significant reduction in the prices of edible oil.

The Punjab chief secretary briefed the meeting about the administrative measures taken for the stabilisation of prices in the province.

The meeting was informed that action was being taken against the officers not fulfilling their responsibilities with regard to the stabilisation of prices.

Besides the suspension of seven assistant commissioners and two secretaries of market committees so far, a warning has also been issued to two deputy commissioners.

The prime minister was informed that to reduce the prices of edible oil, negotiations with the relevant stakeholders had entered the final stages, as a result of which, the price of edible oil was expected to drop Rs10 to Rs15/kg.

Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Train, Minister for Industries and Production Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Minister for Planning Asad Umar, Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Minister of State for Information Farrukh Habib, Special Assistants to the Prime Minister Dr Shehzab Gill, Dr Sania Nishtar, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema and secretaries of the relevant ministries were also present on the occasion.

The provincial chief secretaries and senior officials attended the meeting via video-link.