RAWALPINDI, May 2: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi on Sunday started appeasing other provinces over the wheat ban issue, saying the restriction was a temporary one.

In separate meetings with the chief ministers of Sindh and Balochistan at the Prime Minister's House on the sidelines of a meeting held in connection with the unification of Pakistan Muslim League, Mr Elahi clarified the position of his government and said the temporary ban on inter-provincial wheat movement had to be imposed for the sake of ensuring free availability of wheat flour in the country during the remaining part of the year.

He said the Punjab government was alive to the needs of the people of other provinces and would not like to see them suffer. However, he said, the ban would remain in force till the target of procurement of 3.5 million tons was achieved.

The Punjab government has yet to procure another 2.35 million tons to meet the target. Mr Elahi speaking to the chief ministers said the issue had been unnecessarily blown out of proportions as the restriction only pertained to the movement of wheat and not that of flour, which could be freely shipped to any part of the country.

The chief minister said Punjab government was committed to fulfilling the demand of flour of other provinces. Supporting his claim with figures, he said, Punjab was daily providing 3,000 tons of flour to NWFP, 1,500 tons to Sindh and 800 tons to Balochistan. He said the reaction over the ban on wheat movement was uncalled for.