AVN Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Information, Murtaza Solangi, assured that Pakistan currently holds abundant wheat stocks, and proactive measures would be taken to mitigate any potential flour shortage resulting from supply chain issues.
Responding to a motion under Rule 218 by Senator Sania Nishtar, which focused on addressing gaps in the wheat supply chain that could lead to a flour shortage, Mr Solangi affirmed that there was currently no wheat shortage in the country.
Senator Nishtar expressed concerns with regard to the wheat policy, particularly the transition from green bags to white bags at the retail level, saying that smuggling, systematic artificial shortages, and hoarding could contribute to wheat shortages.
The minister said the country’s wheat stock was ample, detailing the public wheat stock in various provinces, including 39,24,367 metric tons in Punjab, 8,17,394 metric tons in Sindh, 2,15,082 metric tons in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 89,354 metric tons in Balochistan. Additionally, he said, Pakistan Agricultural Storage & Services Corporation Ltd (PASSCO) accounted for 17,18,177 metric tons, while private wheat stock included 3,37,270 metric tons in Punjab, 93,165 metric tons in Sindh, 14,918 metric tons in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 4,157 metric tons in Balochistan.
He stated that Pakistan had a total of over seven million (7,213,884) metric tons of wheat, with an additional imported stock of 10,33,845 metric tons, ensuring there was no shortage. He mentioned that the support price for wheat varied among provinces, being Rs4,600 in Punjab and Rs4,700 in Sindh.
During the motion discussions, Senator Dilawar Khan suggested that Pakistan should focus on exporting wheat rather than importing it and called for concessions to the agriculture sector. Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri highlighted agricultural challenges in Balochistan, pointing out the absence of canal systems and expressing concern about the removal of subsidies for poor farmers on electricity.
Senators Dr Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur and Rukhsana Zuberi stressed the need for a concrete solution to address the issue.
Mr Solangi acknowledged the collective wisdom of the Senate, which would be presented to the Cabinet and the prime minister for positive consideration.
The discussions demonstrated the government’s commitment to ensuring a stable and well-managed wheat supply chain in the country.
