Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has announced a Ramzan package worth Rs 22.5 billion aimed at supporting 60 per cent of the population, particularly those who earn a minimum wage of between Rs 32,000 to Rs 35,000 per month. The targeted families will receive Rs 5000 cash each through banks. The mechanism for this will be announced within the next two days. Meanwhile, the CM directed all the divisional commissioners to start a crackdown against the hoarders and profiteers from today and report him. He took these decisions while presiding over a meeting regarding the Ramzan package and other arrangements, including price control. The meeting was attended by Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam, IG Police Riffat Mukhtar, Secretary Finance Kazim Jatoi, Secretary Agriculture Aijaz Shah, Secretary Food Nasir Abbas Soomro, Adll IG Karachi Khadim Rind, Commissioner Karachi Saleem Rajput, all deputy commissioner of Karachi, representatives of KE and SSGC and other concerned. During a briefing to the chief minister, Chief Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam informed that there were 4.5 million deserving families in the province who were earning between Rs 32,000 to Rs 35,000 per month or less. The CM said that these families constituted 60 per cent of the population, and he has decided to provide them with a Ramzan package of Rs 5,000 cash each. The total subsidy amount for this initiative is expected to be Rs 22.5 billion. The chief minister mentioned that a similar package worth Rs 15.5 billion was provided during the last Ramzan. Murad Ali Shah instructed the chief secretary to determine the number of eligible families to ensure that no one is left behind. He also directed him to talk to the banks to distribute the allocated Rs 22.5 billion. The Chief Minister directed all the divisional commissioners to start a crackdown against the profiteers and hoarders. “You have to maintain not only the price of the commodities and edibles but ensure a balance between demand and supply so that prices could remain under control. CM Shah instructed Commissioner Karachi Saleem Rajput to send his representatives- an Assistant Commissioner and a Mukhtiarkar- to be present at the time of the auction of vegetables and fruits at Subzi mandi and issue prices accordingly. He directed the IG Police to give instructions to the district police to support the district administration in price control exercise and the crackdown being started against hoarders and profiteers. The Chief Minister has instructed the Karachi Electric, Hyderabad Electric Supply Company, and Sukkur Electric Power Company not to implement load shedding during Iftar and Sehar. He has also mentioned that Sui Southern Gas Company has started load shedding and requested them to exempt domestic consumers during Ramzan and provide them with maximum facilitation. Murad Shah directed Zakat department to start releasing a Rs14,000 ‘Guzara Allowance’ among their 110,000 registered families each. He said everyone has to come over even the private sector and philanthropists to support the poor people during the holy month of Ramzan. The chief minister pointed out that prices of everything were slashed during Ramzan everywhere in the world, but it was Pakistan where prices were deliberately increased. “Everyone must understand the importance of the Holy month of Ramzan and the plight of the poor people,” he said. Murad Ali Shah told the administration that he would personally pay surprise visits to the city to check the prices, quality of fruits, vegetables and other commodities and their availability in the market. “I’ll not tolerate any negligence,” he warned.