PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has warned that those trying to create artificial shortage of food items and price hike by hoarding will be dealt with strictly.

“No one will be allowed to exploit the prevailing situation to earn unlawful profit and thus creating unrest among the people,” he said in a statement issued here.

The chief minister said the district administration and other relevant agencies had been fully mobilised across the province to keep an eye on such elements.

He said hoarders would be dealt with iron hand and would be awarded exemplary punishment.

The chief minister said he was personally monitoring the market situation on a daily basis through district administrations.

“There is no shortage of commodities of daily use on the market but some handful elements are trying to earn extra profit by hoarding commodities of daily use, however, the provincial government will not let anyone do so.

The chief minister asked the elected representatives to help the respective local administrations crack down on hoarding.

COLLECTIVE EFFORTS: Spokesman for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government Ajmal Wazir on Monday said the outbreak of Covid-19 was a national issue, which could only be addressed through collective efforts.

A statement issued here said Mr Wazir visited different places in Peshawar city, met businessmen and people, and asked them about the delivery of government services.

He later told PTV that there was no flour crisis in the province and wheat was being supplied to all districts in line with their respective requirements.

“The province has sufficient wheat stock, which will last until the end of May,” he said.

STRATEGY READY: Health minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra on Monday said the provincial government had made a comprehensive strategy to combat coronavirus.

“We are issuing necessary guidelines to the administrative machinery and health workers to cope with the effects of the contagion. We will benefit from the expertise of other countries hit hard by the pandemic to contain the virus,” he said during a visit to hospitals and quarantine centres in Mingora in Swat district and Buner district.

He was accompanied by chief secretary Dr Kazim Niaz and other relevant officials.

The minister later chaired a high-level meeting to review the situation and cope with its devastating effects in all nine districts of Malakand division.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Muhibullah and Dr Amjad Ali, Malakand GOC Major-General Ejaz Mirza, Brig Naseem Anwar, DADC chairman Fazal Hakeem Khan, commissioner Riaz Khan Mehsud and other relevant officials.

The minister said the government was utilising all its resources to cope with the situation in the wake of the outbreak of the virus.

Protective gear including kits, gloves and masks were given away to health workers.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2020