ATTOCK, Jan 25: Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Chaudhry Nouraiz Shakoor has said that we have oil reserves for 28 days and if the US attacks on Iraq and the war prolongs then we will have to arrange oil from Muslim countries — Saudi Arabia and Kuwait — to meet our demands.
This he stated while talking to newsmen at the residence of MNA Malik Amin Aslam Khan at village Shamsabad after the inauguration of provision of gas to four villages — Malik Mala, Sheenka, Bangi and Bahdur Khan on Saturday.
He said the tariff of gas is already cheap in our country therefore, no reduction in its tariff is possible. However the current tariff will be stable.
He said the gas pipeline incident took place due the dispute of local tribes over royalty while all necessary security arrangements and other measures were taken by the government to avoid any such type of incident in future. He said that royalty of gas did not suspended ever which are being paid to the local tribes as per policy and will be also continued in future.
WHEAT STOCK: The government is set to assess the wheat stocks position in a couple of days in view of a possible US war on Iraq, an official source told Dawn on Saturday, Our Reporter adds from Islamabad.
The issue would be discussed in the first meeting of wheat disposal committee to examine the existing wheat stocks in the country to meet any emergency situation arising out of the Mideast crisis.
The meeting would be presided over by the federal minister for agriculture, food and livestock, Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind, and attended by relevant stakeholders.
The minister who is also chairman of the WDC would be briefed on the availability of wheat in case of war on Iraq and measures for maintaining stability in its price.
The meeting would also discuss the wheat policy till fresh crop arrival after taking note of the existing stock availability in the country.
The official said that the total strategic reserves till the arrival of the next wheat crop was estimated at 1 million tons. The meeting would also discuss the surplus stock if any and would consider measures for its exports.
The total wheat production was estimated at 21 million tons during the year 2002, and the local wheat consumption was 20 million tons, said the official.
The government earlier had allowed the Punjab Food Department to export the surplus wheat to the tune of 1 million tons, while the other provinces were stopped from doing so despite a request from the Sindh government.
The committee would finally decide either to allow more export of wheat or put a ban on its export till the arrival of next wheat crop, the source said.
