Judicial probe into wheat scandal demanded

Opposition MNAs hold previous caretaker set-up responsible for the crisis

ISLAMABAD:

The National Assembly session on Thursday was dominated by the matter of not buying wheat from farmers as the opposition lawmakers demanded a judicial probe into the scandal of importing the crop despite its sufficient stock in the country.

During the Question Hour in the NA, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, who holds the additional portfolio of the parliamentary affairs, explained that the provinces decided their own policies for procuring wheat.

He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had increased the wheat procurement target by 35%.
The minister informed the House that by June 2, the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco) had procured 1.8 million metric tons of wheat.

Tarar pointed out that the local farmers faced great difficulties because of the low prices of wheat in the region and pre-existing availability of the crop in the country.

PPP MNA Mir Aamir Magsi pointed out that the middlemen were fleecing the growers by buying wheat from them at cheaper rates and selling them to the government by making a profit of Rs4,000 per maund.

The minister replied that PM Shehbaz had directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to register FIRs against those involved in this practice.

He added that a joint investigation team (JIT) had been formed that would only arrest the guilty.
Tarar acknowledged that the prices of wheat had not exceeded Rs2,700 to Rs2,800 per maund anywhere in the country.

He continued that every effort was made to give the government-set price to the farmers owning up to 12 acres.

The minister maintained that the central bank had also been asked to allocate additional funds for the farmers in the budget as well.

The opposition PTI-Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) demanded a judicial inquiry into the wheat scandal.
PTI-SIC MNA Sanaullah Mastikhel and his fellow party lawmaker Asad Qaiser pushed for the formation of judicial commission to probe into the issue.

Qaiser questioned the minister about why the government had not yet established a judicial commission to investigate the excessive wheat imports by the caretaker setup.

Tarar replied that first the inquiry report would be presented before the House.

He added that if the NA speaker deemed it necessary, a judicial commission would also be formed to investigate the matter.

In response, PPP’s Syed Hussain Tariq said if the government was reluctant to form a judicial commission, the matter could be investigated by an NA committee.

He added that a fixed-term committee should be formed to ascertain who was responsible for such cruelty to farmers.

The House echoed with opposition lawmakers chanting, “cruelty against farmers is unacceptable”.
Another PTI-SIC lawmaker, Brig (retd) Aslam Ghumman, held the previous caretaker PM and chief minister responsible for the crisis.

He wondered why none of these two were being investigated.