Industry minister Hammad Azhar has said the country has no shortage of necessary commodities.

Speaking to media people in Islamabad on Friday, he said the supply chains of critical products are open to ensure their countrywide availability.

The minister said in the next few days, the government is bringing in a new law to take stringent action against the hoarders. Anyone involved in the hoarding would be prosecuted under this law.

He categorically claimed that the situation resulting from the coronavirus would not allow anyone to manipulate it.

Hammad Azhar said Utility Stores Corporation’s platform is being used for stabilizing the prices of essential goods in the open market. He said subsidies are being provided to consumers on nineteen products through the Utility Outlets under the Ramazan bundle.

He also said that the government has given the Utility Stores Corporation an additional fifty billion rupees to hold sufficient stocks. Eight to ten million households are expected to benefit from this year’s Ramazan kit, he said.

Hammad Azhar said the utility stores network is also expanding. Currently, there are 200 mobile utility stores in service and plans are underway to expand them further so that people from far-flung areas can also get critical goods at reduced rates.

The minister said that after Ramazan, this subsidy on essential commodities would continue to provide relief to the people during these demanding times.