MULTAN    -    As many as 14 people were arrested for al­legedly hoarding sugar during a crackdown by the district adminis­tration in the current month.

According to a district administration spokes­person, four points con­taining huge sugar stock were sealed and a fine of up to Rs0.5 million was imposed on the spot. About 10,665 sugar bags were also seized at differ­ent times and occasions.

Commissioner Amir Khattak had ordered to provide sugar at con­trolled rates across the division, he said, adding about 19 points were set up at different plac­es to provide sugar on concessional rates till Eid-ul-Fitr.

Amir Khattak said the crackdown against hoarders and smug­glers of the basic food commodity was going on unabated. He also assured of strict action against dealers trans­porting sugar without a permit letter from the mill owners.

11 WHEAT SMUGGLERS BOOKED

The Food Department has arrested 11 persons for illegal transporta­tion of wheat and foiled bids to smuggle 5,250 metric tonnes of wheat.

This was disclosed in a meeting chaired by Commissioner Multan Division Amir Khattak here on Tuesday. 

The meeting was in­formed that a total of 60 pickets had been established across the division to discourage the illegal transporta­tion of wheat and the divi­sional food department had set a tar­get to procure 651,000 met­ric tonnes.