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ISLAMABAD July 1: Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain reviewed on Thursday the wheat and flour situation in the country at a high-level meeting he chaired at the Prime Minister's House.
He took serious note of the reports of steep increases in wheat and flour prices and directed the relevant agencies and departments to take immediate remedial measures.
The meeting decided that the process of import of one million tons of wheat should be expedited to build up buffer stock to meet any shortages in any part of the country.
The premier directed that 0.5 million tons of wheat should be imported urgently and the remaining 0.5 million tons may be imported later on. The premier also directed that necessary transparency should be observed in the import of wheat.
The premier directed the provincial and district governments to keep a close vigil and control the prices of essential commodities. Nobody should be allowed to exploit the situation, he said.
The meeting was attended among others by all the four provincial chief ministers, Senior Minister Shaukat Aziz, Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan, Minister of State for Food and Agriculture Sikandar Hayat Bosan, chairman of the Trading Corporation of Pakistan, provincial chief secretaries and officials of the ministries concerned.
CMs' MEETING: Meanwhile, the chief ministers of Sindh, Balochistan and the NWFP, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Jam Mohammad Yousuf and Mohammad Akram Khan Durrani, respectively, called on the prime minister separately and congratulated him on his assumption of office.
On the occasion, the prime minister said his government believed in the policy of consultation and accommodation. Talking to the three chief ministers, he said the federal and provincial governments had to work with mutual cooperation and coordination for the welfare of the people and provide good governance.
Mr Rahim briefed the prime minister about the overall political situation and the steps taken by him to maintain law and order in Sindh. According to sources, Mr Durrani had a candid discussion with Mr Shujaat on the Centre-province relations and assured him of his best cooperation in federal government's campaign for rooting out terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
The NWFP chief minister also informed the premier about the financial constraints of his province in the wake of non-implementation of A.G.N. Kazi formula for sharing the net profits from Tarbela, and requested him to intervene on behalf of the province in the dispute.
The chief ministers of Sindh and the NWFP were directed by the premier to ensure law and order through coordination with the interior ministry. Jam Yousuf briefed Mr Shujaat on law and order situation and also exchanged views on development schemes that were under way in his province.
The prime minister stressed the need for taking all-out measures for maintenance of law and order and to consider provision of security of people's life as first priority. He said the government would put major stress on the less developed areas and provide full cooperation to the provincial governments in this regard.
