October 20, 2008	Monday	Shawwal 20, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Oct 19: The Senate standing committee on interior has taken exception to the sale of a 20-kg bag of flour for Rs800-1000 in far-flung areas of the NWFP and Balochistan, calling upon the government to launch a crackdown against hoarders and smugglers of wheat and flour.

The committee’s chairman, Senator Mohammad Talha Mehmood, stated here on Sunday that smugglers and hoarders had made an artificial flour crisis in the country, adding that people living in remote areas were paying up to Rs1,000 for a 20-kg bag of flour.

The wheat or flour recovered during the crackdown should be sold in open market to bring down prices of the commodity, the committee suggested.

“If a sincere operation is launched against hoarders and smugglers, the government can recover a large quantity of wheat and flour from hoarders and smugglers,” Senator Talha observed.