President approves bill to enhance price control, combat smuggling

Islamabad: President Dr. Arif Alvi on Monday approved the Price Control, Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding (Amendment) Bill, as announced by the President Secretariat Press Wing on Monday.

The purpose of this bill is to introduce further amendments to the Price Control, Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Act of 1977, said a statement.

President Alvi granted his approval to the amendment bill under Article 75 of the Constitution.

According to the bill, if a producer, dealer, or importer feels aggrieved by an order issued by a Controller General, they may file an appeal within three working days of receiving the order, directed to an appellate committee.

"The committee consists of the federal secretary of the division responsible for industries and two federal secretaries nominated by the Cabinet Division for the Federal Government. For a province or district, the appellate committee is formed by the chief secretary of the concerned province and includes three provincial secretaries, including the secretary of the department responsible for industries," the bill elaborated.

Previously, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar had instructed customs authorities and law enforcement agencies to take strict measures against the smuggling of essential items such as sugar, petroleum products, urea, and agricultural products.

During a meeting, PM Kakar received a briefing on the prevalent smuggling situation, particularly in border areas, and the measures taken to combat it.

The meeting disclosed that ten additional checkpoints were designated by law enforcement agencies to combat smuggling in Balochistan.

The caretaker prime minister ordered the preparation of an inter-agency report regarding the officers involved in smuggling in the province and called for stringent departmental action against them, including exemplary punishment.

PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar emphasized that the smuggling of petroleum products was undermining revenue and exerting pressure on the country's foreign exchange reserves.

He also stated his intention to chair a weekly meeting to assess institutional performance and combat the issue of smuggling.