ISLAMABAD: The first meeting of an inquiry committee, headed by the cabinet division secretary, on the alleged import of Rs330 billion worth of wheat was held here on Sunday, during which different aspects of the import and preservation of the stocks were reviewed.

“The committee worked today on verifying data and documents,” Infor­mation Minister Attaullah Tarar said when contacted by Dawn.

Responding to a query about the possibility of summoning former caretaker prime minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, ex-finance minister Sham­shad Akhtar, and incumbent Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi (ex-CM of Punjab) by the committee, the minister denied any such reports, saying, “No person was called or interviewed, as is being reported in the media.”

Regarding the content of the inquiry report reported by the media, the minister said, “The report is under preparation and has not been presented to anyone.” He added that news about the meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was also incorrect.

Media reports said the inquiry so far had revealed that from August 2023 to March 2024, wheat worth Rs330bn was imported by the caretaker set-up, of which 1.3m tonnes of wheat was found unfit for human consumption due to fungus.

But the information minister said that the stocks were “completely safe and usable”.

The media reported that the last Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government, led by the PML-N, had reserved its decision regarding wheat import until July 2023.

According to the report, the last caretaker government imported 2.8m tonnes of wheat for Rs250bn and during the present regime 700,000 tonnes of wheat worth Rs80 billion reached the country. Overall $1.1bn flew out of Pakistan for the import of the commodity.

As Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledged to “protect the interests of farmers at all costs”, the federal government appeared reluctant to thoroughly investigate the mega scam and take action against those at the helm at the time of the import.

At present, a fact-finding committee formed earlier this week by PM Shehbaz to identify irregularities in the import is led by Cabinet Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal.

The committee is tasked with probing the matter, and its report is likely to be furnished before the cabinet next week.

Sources told Dawn that former prime minister and PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif wanted the Shehbaz-led coalition government to take “indiscriminate” action against those involved in the alleged scam without any regard for their “strong political clout” and refer the matter to the NAB) or FIA to probe the alleged scam, but the Shehbaz government on Saturday said that no such decision was on the cards.

Earlier during the day, reports were making rounds in the media that Mr Kakar and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had been summoned by the fact-finding committee, pro­m­pting the committee head to issue a clarifying statement. Kamran Ali Afzal said the committee had not sum­moned Mr Kakar and Mr Naqvi. However, former caretaker finance minister Shamshad Akhtar had repo­rtedly been summoned by the committee.

On Saturday, PM Sharif while presiding over a meeting at his Model Town residence reviewed matters related to wheat procurement through Passco and formed a committee under the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to address farmers’ grievances within “four days” regarding selling their wheat and obtaining wheat bags.

According to a PM House statement, the federal government, through Passco, is procuring 1.8m tonnes of wheat to ensure maximum benefit to farmers.

The PM directed the officials concerned to personally monitor the wheat procurement process and ensure that farmers receive their due payments on time.

Sources said this year the country received a bumper crop, as foreseen by the last PDM regime, but due to already dumped stocks in the government storage facility Passco, the government was reluctant to get the new crop from the farmers at the reserved price, compelling the growers to come out on the streets to protest and sell their yield at a low price in the private sector.

The situation has become quite difficult for the pre­s­ent government to settle, as it cannot afford the wrath of the farmers, who are now being backed by the main opposition PTI.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2024