ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to take stern action against elements involved in hoarding wheat and profiteering, but denied at the same time that there was any shortage of the staple.

“We will not allow anyone to create an artificial shortage of wheat flour and indulge in profiteering,” the prime minister said during a meeting on the wheat crisis on Thursday.

Mr Sharif claimed the country had adequate stocks of wheat and provinces should utilise their own reserves, as well as those held by Passco (Pakistan Agriculture Supplies and Storage Corporation), to ensure timely supply of the commodity to flour mills.

Prices of wheat have shot up unbearably high over the past three months, forcing the government to sell the commodity at subsidised rates to the poor through designated points. But the commendable initiative has had an unintended consequence — scuffles have taken place at several centres after people failed to get a wheat bag even after standing in queues for hours together. Even deaths have been reported in a couple of instances.

Denies shortage of the commodity; PTI blames government for the crisis

Tandoor owners have raised the prices of Roti and Naan by Rs5 to Rs10, taking their rates to as high as Rs25 and Rs30, respectively.

The prime minister, however, claimed at the meeting that the price of a 40kg bag of atta has dropped by Rs1,000 after the government’s stern measures over the last one week.

“The provincial authorities should take strict action against profiteers and creators of artificial shortage of wheat flour. The government will give exemplary punishment to those involved in these offences,” he added.

He said that by the end of the current month, at least one million tonnes of imported wheat would reach the market, in addition to arrival of almost the same quantity at the port earlier this week.

The meeting was informed that by the end of the thrashing season, 1.4 million tonnes of carry forward wheat stocks were available. “This will cater for the nation’s need till the next season.”

Meanwhilew, PTI leader Asad Umar alleged on Thursday that the PDM-led coalition government was responsible for the wheat flour crisis.

Asad Umar said former Punjab chief minister Hamza Shehbaz had wrongly ordered an early release of wheat from government stocks in May, causing a glut in the open market.

On his part, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had recently announced a wheat support price of Rs4,000 per maund. This led to a surge in the market price to around Rs5,000 per maund.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2023