Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the plague of  smuggling is a lethal poison for the country’s economy.

Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a meeting regarding the establishment of trade markets in the border areas, in which advisor of trade Abdul Razzaq Dawood, Assistant Special Information Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Assistant Special Yousuf Baig Mirza, secretaries of the respective departments and other senior officers were present.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister was briefed regarding the steps taken to prevent smuggling in border areas of the country, especially on the western borders, while referring to the proposal of setting up trade markets to provide alternative sources of employment to the people of the border areas the implementations of the program were also discussed.

Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that smuggling not only affects domestic resources and income but also destroys domestic industries. Effective prevention of smuggling is the priority of the government.

The Premier said that the people living along the border areas, especially the youth are fully aware of the economic hardship which country is facing and the setting up of trade markets will help to provide alternative means of employment to the people of the border areas which will not provide economic activities and also young people will get business opportunities.

Imran Khan said suggestions for setting up trade markets in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan border areas should be finalized as soon as possible and regular work will be started on them.