"Shehbaz Sharif was Minister of Food Security during wheat imports"

In a recent development, it has been revealed that the current Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, was the Minister in charge of National Food Security during the ‘excessive import of wheat’, ARY News reported on Sunday.

Sources close to the development revealed that a total of 91,136 metric tons of wheat were imported during the first six months of the caretaker government.

Notably, this period falls together with the tenure of the current Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, who was serving as the minister in charge of National Food Security at the time of the wheat import in March 2024.

Later, on April 3, the Prime Minister took decisive action by assigning the additional portfolio of National Food Security to Federal Minister Rana Tanveer, additionally, placing Secretary Food Muhammad Asif on Officer on Special Duty (OSD) status in connection with the wheat import issue.

Earlier in the day, a crucial piece of evidence emerged shedding light on a brewing conflict between the federal and provincial governments, posing a significant threat to the agricultural sector.

In its investigation, the high-level inquiry committee, formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, found a letter which was penned by the Secretary of Food, Punjab, addressing the Secretary of National Food Security.

On March 25, 2024, the Punjab government took a decisive step by addressing a letter to the Secretary of National Food Security, urging the immediate halt of wheat imports totaling 2.6 million tonnes.

Despite the letter, prohibiting the Secretary of National Food Security from procuring wheat, the federal government proceeded to import a staggering 8.5 million tons of grain.

The Punjab’s Food Secretary in the letter opposes the continuation of wheat imports, citing the already alarming import figure of 3.4 million tons and the potential surplus it would create in the market.

Moreover, the letter underscores Punjab’s substantial wheat stocks, currently standing at 2.2 million tons. This fi could exacerbate the surplus dilemma if not addressed promptly, which can negatively impact the local farmers.

With Punjab’s wheat production area expanding from 16 million to 17.4 million acres and production estimates soaring from 21.3 million to 24.2 million tonnes, the influx of imported wheat threatens to disrupt the delicate balance of supply and demand, plunging farmers into financial crisis.

In the letter, the food secretary highlighted the stark contrast with Punjab’s wheat procurement efforts last year amounted to 4 million tons. Yet, due to the inundation of imported wheat in the market, the release of Punjab’s wheat stocks may be restricted to a mere 1.8 million tons, exacerbating concerns over market equilibrium and farmer welfare.

Furthermore, Punjab’s substantial wheat stock, valued at Rs 80 billion, poses a financial burden compounded by accruing interest.

This underscores the urgent need for decisive action to mitigate the economic strain on the provincial government and ensure sustainable agricultural practices.