Islamabad:Former President ICCI Shahid Rasheed Butt on Sunday lauded the move of the Punjab Government to frustrate the unholy designs of sugar mills mafia to create an artificial shortage of sweetener for excessive profits.

Other provinces should also follow the suit to provide relief to people and save them from mafia in the holy month of Ramadan.

The sugar mills mafia had created an artificial shortage by suspending the supply of sugar in many cities since last ten days in Punjab and now the stock with wholesalers had almost ended putting upward pressure on prices, he said.

Shahid Rasheed Butt said that the increasing demand and supply gap has not only increased prices but also threatened the system as whole sellers were running out of the stocks.

The daily demand in one city Lahore was 1200 tonnes daily which cannot be left at the sweet will of hoarders and profiteers therefore the Punjab government notified an Ordinance giving vast power to Cana Commissioners, district administration, food department and revenue officials.

These departments have been asked to thwart the designs of hoarders as they can raid factories and godowns, and seize and sell illegal sugar stocks after getting powers under the Ordinance.

The godown owners have been directed to get registered and declare their stocks within fifteen days. Sugar mills have been directed to sell their commodity to registered dealers, brokers and whole sellers.

The officials of the four departments have been empowered to check the record of sale and purchase and raid any mill, godown, shop or place where sugar has been stored illegally.

He hoped that these steps will discourage the sugar mafia and stabilise prices in the local marSket.