LAHORE, Nov 11: The Punjab government will resist all pressure tactics or blackmailing by millers and continue to provide flour to people at concessional prices during Ramazan.

This was stated by Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi here on Tuesday. He was presiding over a meeting held to review the provision of low priced flour and other essential items of daily use to people during Ramazan.

He said the government had adequate stock of wheat which it would continue to release for the provision of low priced flour to the people.

The chief minister said so far 1.8 million bags of 20kgs of flour had been sold to the people at the per bag rate of Rs160. The bags were being sold at 1,450 sale points set up in the entire province. During the rest of the month, another 3.3 million such flour bags would be sold.

He directed district Nazims and DCOs to take stern action against those indulging in hoarding and profiteering. The committee set at the provincial headquarters was seeking reports from all districts in order to maintain rates of daily use items.

The chief minister said the EDOs and DOs (Revenue) had been given special powers to keep the prices of essential commodities at reasonable level during Ramazan and to curb black-marketing and hoarding of essential commodities.

He said that a system had been developed to seek information of prices of essential commodities from all districts and to quickly redress related complaints.

Industries Minister Ajmal Cheema said effective steps had been taken to control prices of essential commodities.

Food Minister Chaudhry Iqbal said there was no shortage of flour and maximum relief was being given to the people.

Chief Secretary Hafeez Akhtar Randhawa and secretaries of the food and industries departments also attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, Industries Minister Ajmal Cheema and Sialkot Nazim Akmal Cheema called on the chief minister and informed him about the development requirements of the city.