Daily Times

In a major decision to check smuggling of food items and other goods, Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday ordered the authorities concerned to immediately launch a mega crackdown across country.

The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by the prime minister here about curbing the smuggling of food items and other goods.

The meeting was attended by Minister for National Food Security Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Minister for Planning Asad Umar, Advisor on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, secretary interior, secretary national food security, acting chairman of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), provincial home secretaries and other senior officers.

The prime minister directed the ministry of interior, federal and provincial law enforcing institutions, FBR and the provincial governments to immediately launch a joint anti-smuggling operation. He ordered the ministry of interior to present him within the next 48 hours a report based on the actions being taken along with a comprehensive strategy. He directed to start taking short-term, medium-term and long-term measures while keeping in view the recommendations of the taskforce constituted to check smuggling. The Intelligence Bureau (IB), Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) were also directed to present monitoring reports of effective anti-smuggling crackdown to the prime minister on a regular basis.

As the report of progress on establishment of border markets along the western frontiers was presented during the meeting, Prime Minister Imran Khan also directed to speed up the pace of progress on the establishment of border markets in Balochistan. He said the smuggling of food items, which causes price hike and difficulties for the common man, is totally unacceptable. He said as effective control of smuggling, which is causing billions of rupees losses to the country’s economy, is a matter of national interest, no negligence will be tolerated in this respect. He further directed to formulate a comprehensive policy regarding the Iranian petroleum products. Technology should be utilized in curbing the smuggling, he added.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan directed the interior minister to establish complaint management system at every police station of the capital and make Islamabad a model, safe and secure city.

Chairing a meeting on civic amenities in the federal capital, the prime minister stressed capacity building of Islamabad police and taking steps according to the required needs relating to human resource. He said the complaint management system will receive online feedback of citizens which will be used for improvement of service delivery.

Taking serious notice of complaints regarding lack of health facilities in federal capital, the prime minister said negligence will not be spared and directed the secretary health to urgently focus on proper utilization of hospital administration, shortage of human resource and provision of medicines.

The prime minister directed to address the shortage of teaching staff by valuing education as an emergency need. He said knowledge is linked to bright future and vowed to provide all necessary resources to ensure quality education. He instructed that special attention be paid on upgrading quality of 24 model schools and colleges and devise a roadmap outlining time-line of targets achieved.

Taking serious notice of illegal concrete construction in green areas of capital, the prime minister directed the Capital Development Authority chairman to pinpoint the violators for a strong action against them. He said action will be taken against those violating the CDA byelaws be it individuals or owners of housing societies. He said use of concrete without proper planning is disturbing the environmental balance and needs an understanding by all segments of society.