KP to buy wheat from Punjab's private sector: document

ISLAMABAD: Provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will purchase 3.5 million tons of wheat from Punjab’s private sector, according to a food department document.

The KP government will buy three Lac tons of wheat directly from the province’s farmers, a document of the provincial food department read. “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa produces 1.5 mln tons of wheat while its requirement has been around five million tons of the grain,” the paper read.

According to the document KP government will purchase the wheat at the rate of Rs. 3,900 per maund. “Provincial ministry of finance has arranged required funds for wheat procurement,” according to the document.

It is to be mentioned here that the federal cabinet has taken notice of the wheat import during the caretaker setup and the Ministry of Food Security has been directed to inquire into the matter.

Meanwhile, PML-N’s supreme leader Nawaz Sharif has summoned an emergency meeting over the wheat scandal issue today.

Punjab’s Minister of Food, secretary food and other concerned officials will brief the session over the matter.

The meeting will review the findings of the inquiry committee of the federal government and the situation related to the issue.

The prime minister will bring the inquiry committee’s report before Nawaz Sharif who will decide the matter, sources added.