PM Imran directs to take action against hoarding, profiteering of fertilisers

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday directed the relevant authorities to take legal actions against the elements involved in hoarding and profiteering of fertilisers.

The premier was chairing a meeting in Islamabad with the agenda to review the current stock and prices of fertiliser in the country, said Radio Pakistan.

Read more: Crackdown against fertiliser hoarders, profiteers ordered

PM Imran, during the meeting, was told that an online portal had been developed to monitor the supply of fertilisers, enabling the provincial and district administrations to keep a check on the movement of fertilisers.

The participants of the meeting were also informed that following the last week’s direction of PM Imran to take measures against hoarding, the price of fertiliser registered an average decrease of Rs400 per bag.

Control rooms had been established in every district to receive complaints and check-posts had also been established to curb inter-provincial smuggling of fertilisers, said Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal during the meeting.

On November 27, the Punjab chief secretary had directed all the deputy commissioners to launch a crackdown against fertiliser hoarders.

Chairing a video-link meeting of all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners, the official had asked them to take action against profiteers, and hoarders of fertilisers on the pattern of measures taken during the sugar crisis.

Read more: Fertiliser prices decline Rs400/bag on PM Imran Khan’s directive

Afzal had also directed ensuring the display of prices of fertilisers at prominent places in retail outlets. An artificial urea shortage was being created through hoarding, he had said, adding that those making easy money by creating an artificial shortage of fertilisers would be dealt with iron hands.