LAHORE: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has said the deserving people will be provided direct fiscal aid in Ramazan under a special package as Ramazan bazaars were not being set up this year in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a meeting with Punjab Industries and Trade Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal at the chief minister’s office on Sunday, Mr Buzdar asserted that strict action would be taken against hoarders and profiteers and directed the minister to launch an indiscriminate crackdown on such people.

“Those looting the masses and earning undue profits will find their abode behind bars,” the CM warned.

He stressed that artificial hike in the prices of vegetables, fruits and pulses would not be tolerated at any cost. Prices and quality of essential edibles should be monitored regularly and their sale ensured according to fixed price list, he directed.

Minister Iqbal told the chief minister that his department had chalked out a plan to ensure stable prices of essential items during Ramazan.

VISIT: Buzdar on Sunday visited various areas of Lahore and monitored the situation resulting from the lockdown.

Driving his vehicle himself without protocol, the CM commended police for vigilantly performing their duties, and paid tribute to the trader community for fully implementing government instructions by closing down markets and bazaars.

He expressed displeasure over presence of extra traffic on a few roads and directed officials concerned to convince citizens to confine themselves to their homes.

SARWAR: Governor Chaudhry Sarwar said thousands of people will be infected with coronavirus in the absence of precautionary measures at mosques.

“If such a situation happened, history will not spare anyone,” he said while talking to Badshahi Masjid khateeb Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, Pir Nazim Hussain Shah and others at Governor House on Sunday.

The governor added that ulema and respective mosque administrations had a responsibility to cooperate with the police and other government departments in implementing the protective measures decided on Saturday.

ALEEM: Senior provincial minister Abdul Aleem Khan has said that sufficient wheat will be supplied to flour mills across Punjab and the food department has required reserves of the commodity.

Mr Khan, who also holds the portfolio of food minister, said there was a short delay due to recent rains, but departmental activities were under way and steps being taken accordingly.

He said a list of permits had been sent to the deputy commissioners concerned by the food department. The supply of wheat to active flour mills would be ensured, he claimed.

Mr Khan said Punjab would meet Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s needs, but not allow wheat to go out of the province without a permit. According to the instructions of PM Khan, he said, strict punishment would be meted out to stockists and sufficient supply of flour would be ensured during Ramazan.

He said inter-district transportation of wheat was allowed across Punjab however transportation outside the province without a proper permit would not be allowed.

Meanwhile, speaking to people who called on him at his office, the minister said PM Khan was trying to get the country out of the most difficult situation as his vision was to facilitate the citizens.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2020