ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Food Security Sikandar Hayat Bosan has hinted out at government’s intention to reduce withholding tax on wheat import to meet the demand of importers.

Chairing a meeting of the Wheat Review Committee here on Friday, Mr Bosan said that the government has already allowed the private sector to import wheat and would not put any restriction on import of wheat.

The committee observed that the price of wheat flour was rising in certain large urban cities despite the fact that there was no dearth of wheat in the country.

Reviewing the wheat supply situation, the meeting was informed that the provincial food departments and Passco procured 7.56 million tonnes of wheat this year, which was sufficient to meet the domestic requirements.

Mr Bosan allowed Passco to sell 0.4 million tonnes of wheat to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government to stabilise the wheat price in the province.

The provincial government had asked Passco for wheat supply in view of rising wheat flour prices.

The food security minister directed Passco to keep strict watch on prices of wheat and wheat flour and release wheat timely to bring down prices.

He emphasised the need for making Pakistan a food secured country by employing all available resources to increase the output of agricultural commodities.

Secretary of National Food Security, Seerat Asghar, and officials of Passco, food security commissioners, provincial food departments, State Bank and FBR attended the meeting.