Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday resolved that the government will neither show any laxity nor make any compromise in its ongoing operation against smuggling owing to its two-pronged adverse economic impacts, adding that the crackdown will continue with full force.
Chairing a meeting to discuss the anti-smuggling measures and prices of daily-use items, the prime minister said the smuggling is a bane to the national economy for causing food insecurity and inflicting irreparable loss to the local industry, a PM Office statement said.
Industries Minister Hammad Azhar, National Food Security Minister Fakhar Imam, Finance Advisor Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Commerce Advisor Abdul Razzak Dawood, federal secretaries of interior, finance and food security, FBR chairman, provincial chief secretaries, home secretaries and IG police attended the meeting.
The meeting was told that an ordinance has been promulgated to further strengthen the existing anti-smuggling laws and strictly handle the elements involved in smuggling of currency and essential items. Moreover, the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) have been empowered to act against smugglers at the airports as well as within five kilometres of borders. The LEAs have also been given the powers to take such people into custody. Moreover, the ordinance will ensure a better coordination among the district administration, custom officials, secret agencies and LEAs.
The prime minister directed all the departments concerned to submit fortnightly report on actions against smuggling and the people involved in the offense. He directed the provincial administrations to pass on the impact of the reduced oil prices to the masses for providing them relief.\
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken notice of growing inflation in the country and called a meeting of the price control committee. The meeting will be attended by chief ministers of all the provinces and respective chief secretaries.
