Skip to main content

Govt comes up with plan to curb sugar smuggling

LAHORE: As rates of white sugar have soared up apparently because of smuggling of the sweetener with the advent of Ramazan, the Punjab government has decided to devise a mechanism with the help of other provinces and local sugar mills to check the menace. Punjab Food Secretary and Cane Commissioner Muhammad Zaman Wattoo says for hauling of sugar from Punjab to other provinces a permit issued by the district administration concerned will be mandatory. He says check-posts on borders with other provinces are being made effective. A spokesperson for the Customs says that they have foiled bids to smuggle out of the country at least 848 tonnes of sugar during the last two weeks. Mr Wattoo says a crackdown has been launched against hoarders in the province. He claims that so far 46,000 bags of sweetener have been recovered from different hoarders in Punjab and raids are being conducted on many more storages on receiving secret information. He says that cases are being registered against the accused under the Prevention of Speculation in Essential Commodities Act 2021. Penalty under the law is a minimum of six months jail term and fine not less than Rs100,000. The Economic Coordination Committee had on Jan 3 allowed the export of 250,000 million tonnes of sugar when the sweetener was available at an average of Rs93 per kg across the country. But, sources say at least 0.4m tonnes of the commodity had so far been exported and thus its local rates shot up to Rs130 per kg and the sugar mills pocketed Rs115 billion extra in the process. PFA: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) is carrying out inspections of food points to prevent adulteration and the sale of substandard food, thus ensuring the provision of healthy and safe food to the people during Ramazan. The food safety teams examined more than 100 food points, such as production units, hotels, dairy shops, restaurants, general stores, and others. As a result of the inspections, the PFA stopped the production of two food points, penalised 18 food business operators with hefty fines, and served warning notices to 82 eateries for improvement. In addition, 3,050 litres of substandard milk were discarded. The PFA took action against those who did not take proper measures to control insects, used substandard ingredients in food, had poor hygiene conditions, and failed to present the necessary records to the raiding teams. Furthermore, the workers of the food points did not have medical certificates. The PFA has urged the public to cooperate by reporting any counterfeit food items or practices to the authority. The public can call the 1223 helpline or post complaints on the PFA’s social media accounts. Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2023
http://dlvr.it/SmFL29

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sindh police chief takes notice over viral alleged aerial firing videos of DIG East’s son

Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ghulam Nabi Memon took notice after videos of aerial firing allegedly by the son of a high-ranking Karachi police official surfaced on Thursday. Videos shared on social media allegedly showed the son of Karachi East Deputy Inspector General of Police Azfar Mahesar firing a pistol and rifles into the air while travelling in a luxury car. In one such video, policemen were also purportedly visible. Footage of the alleged incidents went viral on social media. A statement issued today from the Sindh police said IGP Memon ordered an inquiry against the DIG East and directed Karachi’s additional IGP to carry out the investigation. The statement added that departmental action would be initiated upon the inquiry’s completion. It said the investigation would also probe whether the weapons used in the incident were officially issued or not. “No one will be allowed to spread fear and chaos like this,” IGP Memon vowed. Meanwhile, DIG Mahesar
Post a Comment
Read more

Casualties feared in Dir clashes between FC, intruding militants: reports

LOWER DIR: Casualties are feared on both sides as militants from Afghanistan reportedly attacked Frontier Corps (FC) personnel at multiple locations at the Pak-Afghan border in Maidan area of Lower Dir district on Saturday, as per unconfirmed reports. According to local residents and official sources, there were reports of militants’ infiltration from the Afghan side via the Shahi border area at Lamotai Top, Suripao and Safarai forest. However, the reports were yet to be confirmed by Inter Services Public Relations, the military’s media wing. On getting information about the alleged infiltration, troops of the paramilitary force, FC, led by Captain Yasin, Captain Asfandiar and Subedar Hamza, advanced to block the militants’ movement, as per reports. The militants allegedly attacked the troops, who also retaliated, thus prompting fears of casualties on both sides. The security forces surrounded alleged militants at three different locations. Later, gunship helicopters lau
Post a Comment
Read more

Family points finger at PPP MNA, two sons in journalist Nasrullah Gadani’s murder in Ghotki

SUKKUR: Slain journalist Nasrullah Gadani’s mother and two relatives have reiterated the allegation in statements recorded under Section 164 CrPC in a Mirpur Mathelo court that Pakistan Peoples Party’s MNA and his two sons had Nasrullah killed through their men. Ms Pathani Gadani, who was complainant in the case, and witnesses, Yaqoub Gadani and Salahuddin Gadani along with their counsel advocate Salahuddin Panhwar appeared before the second civil and first magistrate the other day and told him that PPP MNA Khalid Khan Loond, his sons, Shehbaz Loond, who was chairman of Mirpur Mathelo municipal committee, and Noor Mohammad Loond, had Nasrullah slain but the trio was so powerful that police had not dared include their names in the FIR. They appealed to the court to bring Nasrullah’s real killers to justice as per law and serve speedy justice to the bereaved family. Gadanis’ counsel Salahuddin Panhwar told media persons that the complainant and the witnesses had clearly stated t
Post a Comment
Read more