PM seeks unhindered availability of wheat.

ISLAMABAD -- Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday directed all the provincial chief secretaries to evolve a coordinated strategy under the chairmanship of Minister for National Food Security Syed Fakhar Imam and ensure availability of sufficient stock of wheat in every province along with the uniform price of the commodity in all the federating units.

Chairing a meeting to review the steps taken to reduce the prices of edible items, PM Imran said that provision of wheat and flour at affordable prices and their unhindered availability was the top priority of his government.

The premier observed that farmer and common citizen should be the axis of this strategy as in the past elements involved in profiteering and hoarding had not only deprived the growers of their due profit but also compelled the common citizens to buy flour at exorbitant rates.

The provincial chief secretaries presented a comparative review of the steps taken to bring down the prices of essential commodities and the results obtained from these measures.

In view of the prevailing Covid-19 situation in the country, the participants of the meeting were also briefed about the availability of essential medicines in the provinces and steps taken to ensure uninterrupted supply of oxygen.

Referring to the crackdown against the hoarding of sugar and flour, the Punjab chief secretary apprised the meeting that until now 716 tonnes of flour and 16,008 tonnes of sugar worth over Rs1 billion had been confiscated from major stockists and dealers.

The meeting...