PM forms committee over ‘wheat controversy’

Tasks body to submit report by Feb 6

ISLAMABAD: Taking notice of the recent ‘wheat controversy’, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday constituted a high-level committee to investigate the shortage of one of the basic commodities across the country.

According to the directives issued by the PM Office, the four-member committee will be headed by the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) director general, a representative (not below BS-20/21) of the Intelligence Bureau, the director general of Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment and any other member selected by the FIA DG.

The inquiry, which has been asked to submit its report by February 6, will exhume the causes of the shortage, “circumstances leading to the wheat/flour related controversy and assess the future stock that lead to allow export of wheat/wheat products and subsequent imposition of ban on exports”.

The body will also assess the management of wheat stocks, within federal government and provinces, and coordination among provinces.

The directive further tasks the committee “to identify and fix responsibility, if any, on any individual/officer/organisation, including any purported benefit to a private party, besides suggesting a way forward for future course of action”.

The federal government has received severe criticism from opposition over the flour crisis that has gripped the country. On Monday, senators from the opposition benches lambasted the government for the wheat shortage and rising prices of essential commodities in the country.

The Senate suspended its regular proceedings and took up the issue of flour crisis at the opposition’s request. The opposition lawmakers also staged a walkout from the session because of the absence of the minister concerned after delivering fiery speeches.

Taking the floor, Opposition Leader Raja Zafarul Haq, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Amir Sirajul Haq, besides senators Javed Abbasi, Pervez Rashid and others held the government responsible for this “artificial crisis”, while the treasury lawmakers blamed transporters strike for the short supply.

“People are cursing this government as the flour crisis has intensified. The price has reached Rs70 per kilogramme,” Raja Zafarul Haq told the house. “This is an artificial crisis, created first by allowing one person to export wheat, and then by allowing its import,” he added.

Separately, Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif blamed PM Imran and his cabinet for the ongoing wheat crisis while demanding an investigation against the shortage of flour through a parliamentary panel.

In a statement, the PML-N president rejected the recent increase in the prices of wheat, flour and sugar. “It has been more than 24 hours but the prime minister could not offer any strategy to avert the crisis,” said Shehbaz.

He ordered the party’s parliamentary leadership to formulate a joint strategy with the opposition to help the nation oust the incumbent government, which has a “corrupt and destructive agenda”. He said: “Let us liberate the country from the mob working on an anti-people agenda.”