QUETTA: The Balochistan government has decided to launch a crackdown on elements involved in wheat hoarding and profiteering.

In the ongoing wheat procurement campaign by the food department, the elements that cause obstacles would be dealt with an iron hand, Balochistan Chief Secretary Abdul Aziz Uqaili said on Wednesday during a review meeting on the progress of wheat procurement.

The food secretary, project director of food purchasing and the commissioner of Nasirabad division briefed the meeting on the wheat procurement process.

The meeting expressed concern over the tendency of wheat-producing landlords to hoard the commodity and sell it at high prices.

Despite the increase in the support price of wheat by the provincial government, the reluctance of landowners to sell wheat was unacceptable, the meeting noted. It also decided to take stern action against those who violated Section 144 imposed for purchasing wheat in Nasirabad.

If a landowner was unwilling to sell wheat to the food department at subsidised rates, the stock would be confiscated by the government.

The food secretary apprised the meeting that this year the provincial government had started a campaign to buy wheat under a comprehensive plan.

The food department has set a target of buying one million bags of wheat, he added.

Mr Uqaili deplored that the wheat stockpiling would benefit the big landlords while the small ones would suffer.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2023