Caretaker govt offers informants prize money to counter hoarding, smuggling

The Interior Minister says says the government will observe zero-tolerance approach

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The caretaker government has adapted a zero-tolerance policy to curb smuggling of US dollars, sugar, fertiliser and petroleum products, caretaker Interior Minister Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti told a news conference here Sunday evening.

The minister said the law would take its course if anyone found guilty in crimes like, Hundi, Hawala, smuggling of sugar, wheat and fertilisers as well as other illegal activities.

“All state institutions and provincial authorities are committed to go to any extent to eradicate the menaces of smuggling and hoarding from the face of the motherland,” added Bugti who was flanked by caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi.

The interior minister further said operation, against smuggling of wheat, sugar, urea, dollars and other commodities, had been continuing and the government recovered sugar and urea worth thousands of metric tons in various parts of the country.

نگران وفاقی وزیر داخلہ میر سرفراز بگٹی اور نگران وزیر اطلاعات مرتضی سولنگی کی پریس کانفرنس، سمگلنگ کی روک تھام کے لئے حکومتی اقدامات جاری ہیں،وزیر داخلہ، سمگلنگ کی روک تھام میں بہت بڑی کامیابیاں حاصل ہوئیں، ہنڈی اور حوالہ کے خلاف بھی ملک بھر میں کارروائیاں جاری ہیں، pic.twitter.com/QNavKzdawz

— Ministry of Interior GoP (@MOIofficialGoP) September 10, 2023

Bugti said 59 people involved in the illegal business of hawala hundi, had been arrested. He also expressed surprise that now the elements involved in smuggling had started hoarding of various things.

He, however, made it clear that no one would be spared and the state machinery was determined to curb smuggling and hoarding.

Bugti also announced price money for Pakistani citizens willing to help the government authorities identify smuggling rackets. He said action would also be taken against illegal immigrants in the country and soon price money would be announced in this regard.

To a question regarding terrorist attacks from Afghanistan, Sarfraz Bugti urged the Afghan government to abide by the Doha Agreement which guaranteed that the Afghan soil would not be used against any country.