Sindh CM orders crackdown against wheat hoarders.

KARACHI -- Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, keeping in view the artificial wheat shortage created by hoarders in the province, has ordered a crackdown against the traders so that illegally stored grain could be floated in the market to stabilize the price of wheat flour.

He took this decision while presiding over a meeting on wheat shortage and increasing price of wheat flour here on Monday at CM House, said a statement.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Minister Food Hari Ram, Minister Agriculture Ismail Rahu, Advisor to CM Murtaza Wahab, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Secreatry Finance Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Food Laiq Ahmed, Secretary Forest Raheem Soomro and others.

The chief minister said he had reports that some traders had hoarded wheat in their godowns resulting in increased price of wheat in the market. 'We can not leave poor people of this province at the mercy of hoarders,' he said and directed chief secretary to start an operation against hoarders under the guidance of concerned commission and whatever force, police or Rangers, they need must be provided to them.

Briefing the chief minister, Secretary Food Laiq Ahmed said as on Jan 13, 2020, the stock position was 405,938.549 tons of wheat lying in all the six regions.

They include Karachi 10,374.333 tons, Hyderabad 24,948.0 tons, Mirpurkhas 1615.336 tons, Shaheed Benazirabad 58,524.593 tons, Sukkur 179,709.477 tons and Larkana 130,766.810 tons. Out of which the food departmet has released 35,805.607 tons.

The chief minister was told that as on Jan 13, 2020 the flour price was Rs 43 per kilogram in all the regions.

The CM Sindh said at present about 300,000 tons of wheat was still in the godowns of the food department and the...

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