Averting crisis: Sherpao stresses need to procure wheat for K-P

Says danger of wheat shortage looms over the province.

PESHAWAR:

Qaumi Watan Party Chairperson Aftab Ahmad Sherpao has asked the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government to take solid measures to procure wheat in order to avoid an emergency in the province.

In a statement on Saturday, Sherpao said the imminent danger of a wheat crisis in K-P was growing thanks to the negligence of the previous government. Corrective and timely efforts are required to save the province from this situation, he said.



“The wheat requirement for the province is around 400,000 maunds (one maund= approximately 40 kilogammes) but the erstwhile government procured only 250,000 maunds which do not fulfil K-P’s needs,” stated Sherpao.

The QWP chief pointed out Punjab had acquired more wheat than it actually requires.

Sherpao contended if the previous government had ensured the necessary procurement of the wheat in time, the demand for the food staple would have been met and up to Rs5 billion would have been earned in revenue.

K-P already bears the burden of Afghan refugees and is trying to fulfil their basic needs, said the leader.



Sherpao insisted the provincial government make use of its resources to obtain wheat from national and international markets. In the case of insufficient funds, the new government needs to arrange finance from commercial banks,
he said.

“If timely steps are not taken the people of the province would suffer greatly in the upcoming future,” warned the QWP chief.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2013.