By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday urged the countrymen to point out and discourage the people involved in profiteering and hoarding during the Holy Month of Ramazan, to show compassion for the needy.
Prime Minister, in his message to the nation on the onset of Ramazan-ul-Mubarak, said in the holy month, the people had to take special care of the needy, and inculcate the spirit of sacrifice and sympathy for them.
greetings to the nation, he said everyone should be thankful to Allah Almighty for blessing them with the holy month once again in life, to benefit from His bounties.
He said the objective of fasting was to create the spirit of piety, sacrifice and compassion as the people kept themselves from the things otherwise permissible to consume before or after the holy month. “Moreover, the practice of bearing appetite and thirst during the fast also creates sentiments of sympathy for the others,” he added.
The prime minister said as the world was faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pakistani nation had effectively contained the spread of virus by adhering to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) during Ramazan-ul-Mubarak last year.
This year too, he said, it was everyone’s individual and collective responsibility to abide by the anti-COVID SOPs, formulated after consultation with religious scholars, for Tarawih prayer and I’tikaf. “We have to face this critical situation collectively,” he remarked.
The prime minister also urged the countrymen to specially pray for the deliverance of the mankind from the testing time of pandemic as well as Pakistan’s success in that regard.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday directed for a strict vigilance over availability of daily commodities during the holy month of Ramzan-ul- Mubarak, so that the poor segments could be saved from any difficulty.
The prime minister also directed continuation of legal proceedings against the profiteers and hoarders during the holy month.
He was chairing a high-level meeting to review availability of daily use items and their prices during the holy month of Ramazan, PM office media wing in a press release said.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Finance Muhammad Hamad Azhar, Minister for Food Security Syed Fakhar Imam, Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan, PM’s Special Assistants Dr Sania Nishtar, Dr Shahbaz Gil, secretaries concerned, chairman FBR, chief commissioner Islamabad and managing director Utility Stores Corporation (USC). Provincial chief secretaries attended the meeting through video link.
The managing director USC apprised that 20 kg flour bag was available at Rs 800, sugar per kg at Rs68 and ghee per kg at Rs170 at all the outlets across the country.
The meeting was apprised that on daily basis, about 2600 tons flour, 2000 tons sugar and 1200 tons ghee was being sold at the USC.
The chief commissioner Islamabad informed that different “Sasta bazaar” had been established at different places of the Capital where the daily-use commodities were available at reduced prices. Due to coronavirus situation, these items were also available in mobile van, he further added.
Chief secretaries Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa informed that availability of sufficient amount of flour and sugar was ensured at the fixed prices.
Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan apprised that no unannounced load-shedding would be carried out during Sehar and Iftar timings.
The prime minister also directed for ensuring observance of standard operating procedures (SOPs) during the Ramazan bazaars.
