KARACHI, April 30: The meeting of the food ministers of the federal government and the provinces held on Friday remained inconclusive as Punjab insisted on restricting the wheat movement while other provinces demanded free wheat movement.
Arif Jatoi, Sindh's Food Minister informed Dawn from Islamabad by telephone that the Federal Food Minister Yar Mohammad Rind has invited all the food ministers for another round of meeting on Saturday.
Jatoi said that he demanded lifting of section 144 in Punjab to facilitate unhindered wheat movement. The NWFP food minister termed restriction of wheat movement by Punjab as unconstitutional and against the spirit of the federation. The Balochistan Food Minister could not reach Islamabad but is expected to attend meeting on Saturday.
With every passing day the wheat issue is becoming complex. The Sindh Chief Minister on Friday indicated considering import of one million ton of wheat to meet the deficit of his province.
But before the Sindh Chief Minister goes ahead with his plan to import a million ton wheat, there is a question which begs for an answer. The question traces the origin of wheat and flour crisis in the province since October 2003 and that continues to linger on till this day.
Can Sindh government explain why it has to offer 69,000 tons of wheat for auction from official stock in August 2003? It was the biggest wheat auction in Sindh. The only explanation offered was that it was from the crop of year 2000 and unfit for human consumption.
To give the devil his due, the Pakistan Flour Mills Association, Sindh took timely notice of that questionable transaction. It was offered at Rs6.37 for a kilogramme when official price was about Rs8 a kilogramme and market price was more than Rs9 a kilogramme. When reports started appearing in media, the Sindh government backed out of the deal but lost the case in the court.
What happened then? Who was the bidder? Was the wheat offered in the bid was unfit for human consumption? How was it then used by the government or by the bidder? These questions have remained unanswered till this day.
If market rumours are to be believed, the bidder was from same border district of the province Ghotki from where the Chief Minister comes. This bidder is also said to be one time business manager of a retired senior army officer who also has lands in the same district.
Rumours are that when Sindh government found shortages in wheat stock, quite a big part of the auctioned lot, which was declared unfit for human consumption was released to the flour mills.
There are now rumours that successful bidder is being compensated with cash or from the wheat of the fresh crop for the shortfall of wheat supply? These questions need to be answered and probed. The Sindh government did only one act and that was to axe the food secretary.
Why are the NWFP leaders so jittery on restriction on wheat movement in Punjab. There are 235 flour mills in NWFP as compared to 140 in Sindh. The question is why are there so many flour mills in NWFP.
For last many years, the flour mills have thrived on the release of subsidised wheat from government stocks. Powerful political families and those of retired armed services and civil servants live on subsidised wheat.
At one time the annual subsidy on wheat touched Rs20 billion figure. The benefit of this subsidy was never given to consumers but the millers and traders thrived.
In the year 1996 there were 604 flour mills in all part of the country. There were 80 mills in Sindh which have now increased to 140. The NWFP had then in 1996 120 flour mills which have now grown to 235. Total grinding capacity of these 235 mills is five times of the actual requirement of NWFP.
Why are there so many flour mills in NWFP. A report on Food Security Plan prepared in 1997 by Nawaz Sharif government gives answer to this question. This report observed that smuggling to Afghanistan takes place, is not a conjecture but an established fact.
According to an intelligence report which is widely quoted during the year 1994, more than 100 trucks of wheat moved daily into Afghanistan illegally. This meant smuggling of well nearly three lakh tons of subsidised wheat.
The movement of wheat took place over the metalled roads where anti smuggling forces of several agencies, including para-military forces exist. This indicates a total failure of anti smuggling measures."