SWABI, May 17: The flour millers and traders have deputed agents to purchase wheat from peasants on an urgent basis, even if it meant paying high rates for the stock, and it has been revealed that a major chunk of hoarded wheat stock would be smuggled to Afghanistan.
The purchase rate fixed by the government is Rs 400 per 40 kg bag of wheat, but the millers have been purchasing wheat from the farmers by paying Rs 520 to Rs 530 per 50 kg. The purpose of this strategy of offering higher prices was to lure away the farmers to sell wheat to themselves only and keep the needy people deprived.
By doing this, the millers have already secured a huge quantity of wheat from the farmers and are shifting it for hoarding to their secret storage places so as to evade and dodge government raids and confiscation of their hoarded wheat bags.
Sources told Dawn here on Monday that their first priority was to acquired their own quota, but the most astonished aspect of the procurement of wheat by private dealers would be to smuggle it to Afghanistan at an enormous profit.
Owing to this practice by private dealers the guaranteed supply of wheat would remain a big problem in future if the continued practice of offering higher prices and hoarding was not stopped.
During the last two/three months flour had been smuggled to neighbouring Afghanistan and its loading has been taking place in Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate, but the local administration is keeping silent for as yet unknown reasons.
Some people were of the view that the government might not be able to control the exploitative tactics of the millers who were well aware of the supply and demanded of the market, but smuggling the wheat stocks to Afghanistan could lead to flour shortage in NWFP and if Punjab province stops the outward movement of wheat during a crucial period then the situation may already be out of control.
The wheat stoppage from Punjab had earlier brought relations between the two provinces to a new low and some of the nationalist leaders had threatened that they would stop the supply of power to Punjab from Tarbela dam if the Punjab government continued to stick to its policy of not supplying wheat to NWFP.
The NWFP wheat production had usually been insufficient for its population and the smuggling to Afghanistan and Afghan-displaced persons had put extra-burden on the government.
It has also been learnt that some Afghan traders had also given money to local businessmen to purchase wheat for them by paying growers on the spot. Those who run short of wheat demanded that wheat should be sold at the government fixed rates and those who indulged in hoarding should be punished.
They said the government should ensure the transparency in the whole process. Hoarding of the commodity and then selling it on high rates must be stopped by the government because it had created artificial shortage in past.
In most of the areas the millers had given money to the farmers in advance, assuring the procurement of the wheat according to their chalked out strategy.
ARMS SEIZED: The Swabi police arrested 116 proclaimed offenders and seized 160 weapons, during a 15-days campaign, SP Qazi Jamilur Rehman, said on Monday in a briefing to newsmen.
He said that nobody would be allowed to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of Swabi district, and that the fashion of displaying weapons had no place in Swabi, and those found doing this would be dealt with an iron hand. The SP also warned that action would be taken against those found involved in firing in the air.
