MUZAFFARABAD, Dec 27: Taking strong exception to delay in the lifting of AJK's share of wheat from the two ports of the country, AJK chief secretary has sought explanation from officials concerned in this regard , Dawn reliably learnt here on Monday.

According to official sources, the AJK government was informed by the Trading Corporation of Pakistan through a letter on Wednesday last that the pace of lifting of wheat from the Karachi and Bin Qasim ports was extremely slow resulting in stacking of about 10,000 metric tons of wheat at open plinth out of AJK's share allocated by Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock.

Because of this situation, the unloading of coming vessels was being affected and heavy demurrage/port detention charges etc were also being incurred on the unlifted stocks, the corporation said in the letter addressed to the AJK Food Department and its copies sent to several other top authorities of the AJK government.

The TCP urged the AJK Food Department to accelerate the pace of lifting of the wheat by engaging the maximum number of vehicles and railway wagons in view of the accumulation of stocks at ports and the uncertainty of weather of Karachi.

Besides, it also asked the department concerned to take immediate protective measures to save the wheat stocks' AJK share. The corporation also warned that the AJK Food Department would be held responsible for all consequences/losses like demurrage, port detention charges etc due to the delay in the lifting of of wheat from the port.

Apart from the AJK, other provinces were also not lifting their shares of wheat from ports in full swing despite repeated verbal and written requests of the TCP, according to the letter.

About 133,000 metric tons of wheat has been lying in the open at two ports, of which 70,000 metic tons belonged to Sindh, 25,000 metric tons to the NWFP, 18,000 metric tons to Balochistan and 10,000 metric tons to Punjab.