ISLAMABAD, March 25: A senior official of the World Food Programme (WFP) has apologised for, what he says, a misleading story on food prices in Pakistan.

“I would like to sincerely apologise for the unfortunate press reports that emerged from my press briefing in Geneva that was picked up by AFP and quoted (published) by Pakistani newspapers,” the WFP’s director for Pakistan, Wolfgang Herbinger, said in a statement.

He clarified that in his news conference at the UN offices in Geneva on Wednesday, he spoke about the difficult food security situation in the country after the repeated shocks the population experienced over the past three years --- first due to the global food crisis of 2008, secondly because of displacements in the northwest, and thirdly owing to the devastating floods last year.

He said that at the press conference he pointed out that prices had been high since the 2008 global food price crisis and that an increasing number of poor households faced difficulty in buying food.

“Although I sought to explain the many factors causing the raise in food prices, my statements unfortunately did not do full justice to the many efforts by the government to ensure food security in the country. Please accept my sincerest apologies,” Mr Herbinger said.

“Food prices are a global phenomenon and our organisation is committed to ensuring that the hungry poor in Pakistan and elsewhere in the world have access to the food they need for a healthy life.”

About the authorities’ response to last year’s floods, he said: “The government actions involved immediate relief through civil and military authorities, the successful Watan card programme and the timely supply of seeds and fertilisers,” he added.

The international assistance, he said, helped prevent any hunger or health crisis.—APP