Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday directed strict action against all those involved in illegal profiteering and hoarding of sugar across the country.
Chairing a meeting on prices and availability of sugar, the Prime Minister stressed for taking the action “without any discrimination” to ensure availability of essential commodities.
Imran Khan said profiteers and hoarders were the enemies of poor and did not deserve any concession.
The meeting was attended by federal ministers Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Muhammad Hammad Azhar, Asad Umar, Adviser Abdul Razak Dawood and Dr Ishrat Hussain, Special Assistant Dr Waqar Masood and senior officials.
The Chief Secretary Punjab, through video-link, gave a detailed briefing about the sugar produce, crushing and available stock in Punjab.
The Prime Minister was informed that to ensure ample availability of sugar stock at controlled prices, the video-link meetings among all Commissioners of Divisions and deputy commissioners of districts were being held on daily basis.
It was updated that action had been taken against those involved in under-weighing of commodities and profiteers, while 79 persons had been arrested besides 190 First Information Reports (FIR) registered.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan was told that all the permanent residents of Punjab would be provided the facility of health card by December 2021 for medical treatment from public and private hospitals.
He was further informed that with focus on backward districts, including Dera Ghazi Khan and Sahiwal, seven million families from across the province would be provided health cards. The prime minister was told this during a briefing on Universal Health Coverage in Punjab. Special Assistant to the PM on Health Dr Faisal Sultan was present in the briefing, which was also attended through video-link by by Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid.
The prime minister on the occasion said since access to quality healthcare was the basic right of every citizen, his government had initiated reforms in the health sector, which were aimed at helping the poor and deserving. He said the government would extend all possible cooperation to the private sector for establishing hospitals in the country’s far flung areas.
