Protests linger in G-B: Wheat price dispute stays unresolved
New committee to present proposals to PM.
New committee to present proposals to PM. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The federal government and the Gilgit-Baltistan administration again failed to resolve the issue of wheat prices, while people in the region continue to stage a sit-in in all the district headquarters.
Failing to resolve the matter, a new committee was constituted to present its recommendations which would then be sent to the prime minister.
The meeting held at the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan (KAGB) was chaired by Federal Minister Barjis Tahir. Chief Minister G-B Mehdi Shah was also present in the meeting.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, the federal minister said that the committee — comprising three members of the GB Council and one provincial minister — would prepare the recommendations, which would be presented to the prime minister, who will take the final decision in this regard.
The federal minister said the people had misunderstood that the federal government had withdrawn the subsidy given to G-B on wheat. “The fact is that the government still gives 70 per cent subsidy on wheat price, but some people are politicising the issue by misguiding others,” he maintained. He said that the federal government had paid Rs5 billion to PASSCO as subsidy on wheat to G-B during this year.
He added that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had announced subsidy on transportation but not on wheat price and this facility is still intact in addition to the 70 per cent per kg subsidy.
He mentioned that the government is taking serious measures to develop G-B by launching some mega development projects there including the Diamer Basha dam, Economic Corridor by constructing highways from Khunjrab to Gwadar.
Tahir stressed that the federal government would take all possible steps to peacefully resolve the wheat issue.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 25th, 2014.
The federal government and the Gilgit-Baltistan administration again failed to resolve the issue of wheat prices, while people in the region continue to stage a sit-in in all the district headquarters.
Failing to resolve the matter, a new committee was constituted to present its recommendations which would then be sent to the prime minister.
The meeting held at the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan (KAGB) was chaired by Federal Minister Barjis Tahir. Chief Minister G-B Mehdi Shah was also present in the meeting.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, the federal minister said that the committee — comprising three members of the GB Council and one provincial minister — would prepare the recommendations, which would be presented to the prime minister, who will take the final decision in this regard.
The federal minister said the people had misunderstood that the federal government had withdrawn the subsidy given to G-B on wheat. “The fact is that the government still gives 70 per cent subsidy on wheat price, but some people are politicising the issue by misguiding others,” he maintained. He said that the federal government had paid Rs5 billion to PASSCO as subsidy on wheat to G-B during this year.
He added that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had announced subsidy on transportation but not on wheat price and this facility is still intact in addition to the 70 per cent per kg subsidy.
He mentioned that the government is taking serious measures to develop G-B by launching some mega development projects there including the Diamer Basha dam, Economic Corridor by constructing highways from Khunjrab to Gwadar.
Tahir stressed that the federal government would take all possible steps to peacefully resolve the wheat issue.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 25th, 2014.