This batch of wheat was imported during the period when the portfolio of the Ministry of Food Security was with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Reports
The inquiry committee investigating the import of wheat under the leadership of the Federal Secretary Cabinet Division has revealed that 13 million tons of wheat imported in March 2024 was unfit for human consumption due to fungus (moss). This shipment was imported during the period when the portfolio of the Ministry of Food Security was with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
While Shahbaz Sharif was the Minister in charge of National Food Security, it has been revealed that 691 thousand 136 metric tons of wheat worth 57 billion 192 million rupees were imported into the country in March this year. were On April 3, he handed over the additional portfolio of National Food Security to Federal Minister Rana Tanveer.
According to "Dawn News", it has been stated in the official data that wheat worth 225 billion 783 million rupees was imported till February of this financial year, in March 2024, wheat worth 57 billion 192 million rupees was imported. A total of 34 lakh 49 thousand 436 metric tons of wheat worth 282 billion 975 million rupees was imported till March, while 691 thousand 136 metric tons of wheat were imported in the first month of the current government. 27 lakh 58 thousand 226 metric tons of wheat was imported.
According to an official document, a total of one billion ten million dollars were spent to import wheat from the country, despite the existence of abundant reserves of wheat in the country, new revelations are coming out every day in the matter of large-scale import of wheat during the caretaker government. It has also come to light that the import of wheat continued during the current government's tenure. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakde has said in an interview on private TV that he has nothing to do with the import of wheat. In the year 2023, the Finance Minister of the PDM government, Ishaq Dar, gave it in the ECC meeting.
In the caretaker government, Food Security Minister Kausar Abdullah has said that he was not shown any summary by the ministry. And the establishment used to do this by saying that the caretaker minister is only for 4 days. was
It should be remembered that a committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal to investigate irregularities in wheat import and it is likely that the report of the committee will be presented to the Cabinet next week, however, former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi says that Inquiry committees or investigation commissions are formed to suppress the issue, so the nation should not expect anything to come out of it.
Due to unknown reasons, notices were not issued exempting Shahbaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab and the current Federal Minister of Defense from the inquiry, while the Caretaker Prime Minister and Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab were summoned for an inquiry on social media. Denying the news, the head of the inquiry committee and the secretary of the Cabinet Division, Kamran Ali Afzal, in a statement issued on Saturday termed the news as "misleading" and said that neither caretaker prime minister Anwarul Haq Kakar nor caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has been summoned
He said that there is no truth in the news that both of them are being summoned.