Utility stores being closed: reports

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided in principle to close all the utility stores across the country, it has been learnt through media reports.

The utility stores being run under the Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan provided subsidized essential food items to the low-income groups of citizens.

The government provided billions of rupees to the utility store corporation for purchasing the essential items from different companies and provide them to the consumers at lower than market rates.

However, recently the government abolished most of the subsidies on essential food items in these stores.

Officials told ChitralToday that there are 11,000 employees, including 6,000 regular, working in the utility stores across the country, including Chitral. 

The officials added that the federal government had asked the utility stores corporation to wind up its dealing with the companies concerned within two weeks.