ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday directed to expedite the process of formulation of a National Action Plan within a week to counter adulteration in edible items and to check prices of various edible commodities.

The prime minister was chairing a review meeting regarding prices of edible commodities, price control, hoarding, profiteering and counter measures to check adulteration in the country.

The prime minister directed for expediting the process of establishment of a National Demand Supply Cell to maintain the prices of essential commodities like wheat, sugar and prices and demand and supply of other commodities and crops. The prime minister directed to fulfill the requirements of work-force of the ministry of National Food Security in that regard.

Provincial Chief Secretaries briefed the prime minister about tendency of adulteration in essential food items like milk, ghee, edible oil, drinking water, meat, pulses and other items.

Taking strict notice of adulteration in edible items, the prime minister said adulteration in food items would not be tolerated and strict action would be taken against those who were playing with lives of people. The prime minister directed the chief secretaries to establish a national action plan and a road map within one week to check this curse and prepare a comprehensive .policy for the next meeting. The prime minister was informed that as a whole, prices of essential food commodities and other items remained stable in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces and Islamabad while prices of some items decreased. However, the prime minister was told that prices of various commodities witnessed increase in Sindh province.

The prime minister was told that according to decision of the federal government, provision of four lakhs ton of wheat from Pakistan Agricultural and Storage Corporation (PASCO) had almost been completed while the their one lakh ton of other request would be considered in meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC).

The prime minister expressed serious concern over increase in prices of flour in Karachi and directed the chief secretary Sindh to ensure immediate steps to control flour price and making effective administrative measures against hoarders and profiteers.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Planning, Minister for National Food Security Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar, PM’s Advisor on Trade Abdul Razak Dawood, Special Assistant to the PM on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and senior officials of the respective ministries while Chief Ministers of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan provinces and other senior officials, participated through video-links.