Wheat scandal: Nawaz Sharif summons PM Shehbaz

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) founder Nawaz Sharif has summoned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at Jati Umra residence to discuss the wheat crisis, ARY News reported on Saturday.

Sources said that the prime minister will brief Nawaz Sharif regarding the wheat scandal in the meeting.

Earlier, PM Shehbaz Sharif sacked Secretary Food Security Muhammad Asif and formed a high-level inquiry committee to probe into the matter of wheat import in the country.

The prime minister constituted a committee headed by the Secretary Cabinet Division and tasked it to conduct a thorough into the matter.

Chairing a high-level review meeting regarding the current status of wheat reserves in the country, PM Shehbaz questioned as to why the decision to import wheat was taken despite the good production of the commodity last year.

Expressing satisfaction over bumper crop production of wheat this year, the prime minister stressed to ensure that there is no delay in the purchase of wheat.

The initial reports on wheat import scandal revealed shocking details.

According to sources, the initial report stated that the federal institutions are responsible for the unnecessary import of wheat. Despite existing reserves of 40.47 lakh metric tons in Punjab, an additional 35.87 lakh metric tons were imported, creating an artificial shortage.

Sources said that the report suspects officials from the Punjab Food Department and Pasco of involvement in the scandal.

The investigation has found that wheat was imported at a cost of Rs 2600-2900 per maund and sold at a higher price of Rs 4700 per maund. The import permission was granted for 1 million metric tons, but it was exceeded without limit, sources added.

Also read: Pakistan: Wheat import caused $1 bln loss to national kitty

Sources revealed that the federal institutions allowed private companies to import wheat without proper checks, and some officials from the Ministry of Finance also failed to scrutinize the large-scale import.

Furthermore, the wheat import continued from September 26, 2023, to March 31, 2024, resulting in a massive influx of wheat in the market. The complete report will be presented to the government within three days, sources added.

It is pertinent to mention here that the wheat import caused a $1 billion loss to the national kitty.