By IANS
Islamabad : Perhaps taking a leaf from neighbouring India, Pakistan has decided to import one million tonnes of wheat to create a buffer stock to meet any shortages in the future.
During a meeting with a group of federal ministers and MPs here Saturday, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz expressed concern over the “artificial” shortage and price hike of wheat and flour coinciding with the advent of Ramadan.
Aziz said the government had taken serious note of reported shortage and high prices of wheat flour in the country despite abundant stocks following a bumper crop this year. So the government had decided to import one million tonnes of wheat, Dawn reported Sunday.
The prime minister directed the governments of Sindh and Punjab to streamline supplies and ensure liberal release of wheat to ensure the produce was made available in the open market at reasonable prices.
The provincial governments have also been directed to appoint magistrates to check prices of essential items, especially wheat flour, during Ramadan, and to identify wheat and flour hoarders and take action against them.
“Directives have been issued to all border monitoring and controlling agencies to ensure that the ban on wheat export by sea and land route is strictly enforced,” Dawn said.
The interior ministry has also been asked to strictly monitor, in close coordination with the provincial governments, the measures taken by various agencies to check wheat smuggling.
The Utility Stores Corporation has also been directed to ensure availability of wheat flour at reduced prices through its 3,600 outlets and immediately activate sufficient number of mobile flour shops in big cities.