Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) Quaid and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has issued instructions to the government’s team for resolving the issues concerning wheat and farmers, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Nawaz Sharif issued these instructions in an important meeting of PML-N on wheat situation held at PML-N Secretariat at Model Town in Lahore on Friday.
Rana Sanaullah gave a detailed briefing to the participants of the meeting on the negotiations with the farmers.
Rana Sanaullah informed about the concerns of farmers on procurement of wheat.
Other authorities including Food Department and Agriculture Department will now hold a follow-up meeting.
Chief Secretary, Department of Food, Secretaries of Agriculture Department participated in the meeting.
Secretaries of various departments also gave briefing on the ongoing wheat crisis in the province.
All the departments also presented their suggestions in the meeting while Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz reviewed all the proposals.
The TV channel said if the Punjab government decides to buy wheat, it is expected to announce the target of buying 2 million tons of wheat as the Punjab Food Department has Bardana available for the purchase of 20 lakh tonnes of wheat right now.
Pertinent to mention that the government support purchase price is fixed at Rs3,900 but due to lack of government purchase, middlemen are buying wheat from farmers at Rs2,800-3,000 per maund.
The channel reported that the national and provincial assembly members are also angry with the PML-N-led government in Punjab and are highly worried about not making official purchases.
Worthy to mention here that if the Punjab Government agrees to the purchase of wheat from farmers directly, the Bardana will be issued to the eligible applications in the Bardana App.
PM forms inquiry committee to probe matter of wheat import
Yesterday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formed an inquiry committee headed by the Secretary Cabinet Division to probe into the matter of wheat import in the country.
Chairing a high-level review meeting regarding the current status of wheat reserves in the country, the prime minister inquired from the Ministry of National Food Security about the import of wheat last year.
The prime minister questioned that for what reason 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 was no delay in the purchase of wheat. All necessary steps should be taken regarding the purchase of wheat, he said adding the farmers should be immediately paid for their hard work.
Federal Ministers Ahad Khan Cheema, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Jam Kamal Khan, PM’s Coordinator Rana Ehsan Afzaal and other high officials attended the meeting.
Reporter: Rao Dilshad Hussain