Nawaz Sharif summons meeting on wheat issue

LAHORE: Ruling PML-N’s supreme leader Nawaz Sharif has summoned an emergency meeting over wheat scandal, ARY News reported on Monday.

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

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

The prime minister will present the inquiry committee’s report to Nawaz Sharif who will decide the matter pertaining to the wheat issue, sources said.

A key decision is expected this week with regard to the wheat situation, sources added.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday taking notice of the issues faced by the farmers in selling their wheat and obtaining wheat bags, formed a committee under Ministry of National Food Security to address their grievances.

The committee had to address the farmers’ concerns within four days.

Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level emergency meeting to review the matters of wheat procurement through Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO).

The federal government, through PASSCO, is procuring 1.8 million metric tons of wheat to ensure maximum benefit to farmers, he said.

The prime minister asked the relevant officials about the import of wheat last year and why the decision was taken to import the commodity despite foreseeing a bumper crop.