Federal Minister for Law and Justice Barrister Dr Farogh Naseem on Sunday said that the government had promulgated an ordinance against hoarding of essential commodities amidst spread of coronavirus to protect the interest of a common man.
The new ordinance contained three-year sentence, summary trial and confiscation of the material for hoarding of wheat, sugar, flour, ghee, sanitizers, facemasks and other essential items, he said while addressing a press conference at the PID Islamabad along with Parliamentary Secretary on Law and Justice Mulaeka Bokhari.
The minister said that the government had also prepared an anti-smuggling ordinance to stop the smuggling of dollars and essential commodities like wheat and sugar through undeclared routes. The ordinance had been sent to the office of prime minister for vetting. This law was likely to be promulgated by Monday or Tuesday, he said. The minister said that stern actions would be taken against those involved in smuggling essential items.
He said that no one would be allowed to take advantage of the current prevailing situation in wake of coronavirus. He said that though Pakistan Customs would be a focal department to stop this practice, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) would be authorised to dedicate powers to any state institution like Intelligence Bureau (IB) Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) to seek their assistance against smuggling.
The federal minister said that district administrations had been made bound to also share available information pertaining to any act of smuggling or hoarding to the relevant institution to take action against it. A copy of this information would also be sent to the law and justice secretary who would view the actions taken by the department concerned on it, he maintained.
Stern action, he said, would also be taken against the officers for showing negligence on the matter. The minister said that amendments could be introduced to the ordinance in extraordinary situations, if necessary.
The minister said that a summary trial against the culprits would be initiated in accordance of the law, adding that the judges for the summary trial would be appointed with the consultation of chief justice of Pakistan.
He said that his ministry was introducing laws keeping in view the current situation on directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan to safeguard the interest of the common man.
Farogh said that COVID-19 was a global pandemic and it was need of hour to work collectively to defeat this menace. All provinces should work together with the federal government in the current situation, he maintained.
The minister said that the only way to tackle COVID-19 was precautionary measures, adding that Pakistanis were well aware and educated in this regard.
Earlier, Farogh Naseem said that Ministry of Law and Justice had resolved a total of 60,649 cases during 20 months. He said his ministry had been working round the clock during the last several days to prepared ordinances against hoarding and smuggling.
