ISLAMABAD: In response to acute shortages of basic commodity items such as flour, sugar, fertilizer, and oil, the government of Pakistan has launched an extensive crackdown on the smuggling of essential commodities across the country, official television channel reported on Saturday.
According to details, the concerned authorities conducted targeted operations during last couple of days, while capturing a significant quantities of smuggled items in different area.
During these operations, a total of 565 metric tons of sugar, 4,127 stacks of cigarettes, 1,322 bags of cloth, and 198,600 litres of Iranian oil were confiscated.
Operation Against Smuggling in Different Cities
Meanwhile, in Multan, officials seized 99 stacks of cigarettes, 133 cloth bags, and 28,000 litres of Iranian oil, whereas 164 cigarette stacks, 483 cloth bags, and 19,000 litres of Iranian oil were also confiscated in Karachi during raids.
The report further stated that the authorities confiscated 3,864 cigarette stacks, 706 cloth bags, and 135,000 litres of Iranian oil in Queta where Peshawar witnessed a recovery of 16,000 litres of Iranian oil during the operations.
Since the crackdown began on September 1, 2023, the officials have seized a significant amount of contraband goods, including 3,036 metric tons of fertilizer, 262 metric tons of flour, 34,626 metric tons of sugar, 236,547 stacks of cigarettes, 247,133 bags of cloth, and 6.055 million litres of Iranian oil.
The government has initiated the move to discourage and eradicate smuggling and protect interest of the public in stabilizing the national economy.
