ISLAMABAD, Dec 1 (APP): Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday stressed the need for taking emergency measures to control the smuggling of commodities including wheat, urea, sugar, flour, petrol and check money-laundering.
Chairing a high-level meeting to review anti-smuggling and anti-money-laundering measures, he said heavy damage was inflicted on the economy as a result of smuggling of food commodities due to price differential.
He added that smuggling created an artificial shortage of commodities and ultimately resulted in price hike.
The prime minister directed that all stakeholders should undertake emergency measures and bring-out-of-the-box solutions to control smuggling of essential commodities.
He emphasized that the objective was to provide relief to the common man against the price hike.
The meeting was informed that Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) had undertaken extensive investigations against illegal money laundering and holding of US dollars.
It was apprised that security was being beefed up at border crossings to check goods and to ensure that each load was recorded for tracking purposes.
The meeting was briefed that significant success has been achieved to control illegal petrol smuggling and operations against hoarders.
The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Muhammad Hammad Azhar, Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Syed Fakhar Imam, Asad Umar, Advisor Finance Shaukat Fayaz Tarin, Advisor Commerce Abdul Razaq Dawood, SAPM Dr. Shehbaz Gill, Governor State Bank, Chairman FBR, senior civil and military officers.
