Altaf Hamid Rao
Muzaffarabad/ MIRPUR (AJK) (Parliament Times) : Prime Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan has directed the food department officials to ensure availability of essential food commodities during the holy month of Ramadan. Addressing an extraordinary meeting here today, the PM said that despite bad economic conditions, the government has been providing a subsidy worth 12 billion rupees for flour annually to ensure the supply of wheat flour to people at affordable prices. Directing the food department officials to ensure a smooth supply of flour in Ramadan, the PM said that stern action should be taken against hoarders.”It is the responsibility of the food department to provide cheap and quality flour to the people of Azad Kashmir and to ensure an all-time supply of flour at the depots”, he said. He said that the issues being faced by food authorities would be resolved on a priority basis. He said that a committee comprised of Secretary Services and Secretary Food has been formed in this regard. The meeting was attended by Minister for food Chaudhry Ali Shan Soni, Chief Secretary Azad Kashmir Muhammad Usman Chachar, Principal Secretary Fayyaz Ali Abbasi, Secretary Services and General Administration Raja Amjad Parvez, Secretary Food Mansoor Qadir Dar and Secretary Finance Ismatullah Shah and others. Secretary Food Mansoor Qadir Dar on the occasion gave a detailed briefing to the PM regarding the strike by flour suppliers and transporters in Azad Kashmir.