Body formed to check ‘bias’ in olive plants’ import

Move comes after Senate panel informed ‘single firm’ receiving tenders for import for five years

ISLAMABAD:

Caretaker Interior Minister Senator Sarfraz Bugti on Thursday formed a subcommittee to investigate into the matter of a single company being awarded tenders for the import of olive plants for the past five years within two months and present its findings.

The move came after a Senate panel was informed about the matter. JUI-P Senator Kamran Murtaza will head the subcommittee. The Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research held a meeting at the Parliament House presided over by its chairman, PML-F Senator Syed Muzafar Hussain Shah.

The meeting started with a comprehensive discussion on the unavailability of fertilisers for the farmers in Sindh. The committee was informed about the numerous complaints received from farmers across the country, highlighting its dire consequences of creating a shortage of wheat crop in Sindh.

It was pointed out that the black market price had soared to Rs5,600 per 50kg bag, significantly higher than the regulated rate of Rs3,560. The committee directed the ministry to urgently collaborate with the stakeholders to resolve this critical issue.

The Senate panel expressed its concerns over the non-receipt of cotton cess from textile firms for the past five years. It highlighted its negative impact on the research of the crop and delay in payments to Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) employees.

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With arrears of over Rs3 billion, the committee directed officials of the ministry to liaise with the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA), address these concerns and facilitate the collection of cotton cess. The Senate panel was informed that the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) had developed two new varieties of wheat.

The chairman of the panel recommended compiling a list of progressive farmers for better access to them. He also suggested a monthly newsletter to inform farmers about agricultural developments. The committee advised the PARC to contact the farmers' associations of Sindh and Punjab. It also sought a report from the PCCC on the new varieties of cotton and their availability in the market.

Senators Sania Nishtar, Seemee Ezdi and Jam Mahtab Hussain Dahar; caretaker National Food Security and Research Minister Dr Kausar Abdullah Malik; and officials of the PARC and PCCC were among those who attended the huddle. A day earlier, the caretaker national food security and research minister directed the PARC to form a body for the permanent recruitment of scientific staff.

He also stressed the need for chalking out a plan in accordance with the rules and regulations for the people in the scientific domain so they were offered opportunities in their own homeland instead of serving abroad.