ISLAMABAD, Apr 19 (DNA): Federal Minister Law and Justice Barrister Dr.

Farogh Naseem on Sunday said that the government had promulgated an

ordinance against hoarding of essential commodities amidst spread of

coronavirus to protect the interest of a common man.

The new ordinance contained three-year sentence, summary trial and

confiscation of the material for hoarding of wheat, sugar, flour, ghee,

sanitizers, face masks and other essential items, he said while

addressing a press conference here at PID Islamabad along with

Parliamentary Secretary on Law and Justice Mulaeka.

The minister said that the government had also prepared an

Anti-Smuggling Ordinance to stop the smuggling of dollars and essential

commodities like wheat and sugar through the undeclared routes. The

Ordinance had been sent to the office of prime minister for vetting.

This law was likely to be promulgated by Monday or Tuesday, he said. The

minister said that stern actions would be taken against those involved

in smuggling essential items.

He said that no one would be allowed to take advantage of the current

prevailing situation in wake of coronavirus. He said that though customs

would be a focal department to stop this practice, however, Federal

Board of Revenue (FBR) would be authorized to dedicate powers to any

state institution like Intelligence Bureau (IB) Inter Services

Intelligence Bureau (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) to seek their

assistance against smuggling.

The federal minister said that district administrations had been made

bound to also share available information pertaining to any act of

smuggling or hoarding to the relevant institution to take action against

1. A copy of this information would also be sent to secretary law and

justice who would view the actions taken by the department concerned on

it, he maintained.

Stern action, he said, would also be taken against the officers for

showing negligence on the matter. The minister said that changing could

be introduced in Ordinance in extraordinary situations if necessary.

The minister said that a summary trial against the culprits would be

initiated in accordance of the law, adding that the judges for the

summary trial would be appointed with the consultation of chief justice

of Pakistan.

He said that his ministry was introducing laws keeping in view the

current situation on directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan to

safeguard the interest of a common man.

Barrister Farogh said that COVID-19 was a global pandemic and it was

need of hour to work collectively to defeat this menace. All provinces

should work together with the federal government in current situation,

he maintained.

The minister said that the only way to tackle pandemic COVID-19 was

precautionary measures, adding that Pakistani people were aware and

educated in this regard.

Earlier, Farogh Naseem said that Ministry of Law and Justice had

resolved a total of 60,649 cases during twenty months which was a ratio

of 99 percent. His ministry had been working round the clock during last

several days to prepared ordinances against hoarding and smuggling, he

said.

Speaking on the occasion, Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Justice

that these laws were manifestation of the vision of

Prime Minister Imran Khan and fulfillment of the PTI’s manifesto. She

said the hoarding and anti-smuggling laws would bring ease in the life

of the common people. DNA

========