Achi news desk-
Islamabad: Former Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kekar ​​downplays the wheat import issue as a “tempest in a teacup”, ARY News reported on Sunday.
In his interview on the ARY news program ‘Sawal Yeh Hai’, Kakkar emphasized the importance of understanding the intricacies of the wheat import mechanism.
He emphasized the government’s efforts to save tax money, facilitate the purchase of wheat in the private sector and generate revenue from import taxes.
The former prime minister emphasized that the decision to allow the import of wheat to the private sector was made in response to the demand for wheat in the country, with the aim of maintaining a balance between the supply-demand relationship.
While denying the allegation of corruption and crisis, he credited the actions of the caretaker government for the decline in inflation in the country, and claimed that his claim could be confirmed through Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) records.
While answering a question, the former caretaker prime minister revealed that by allowing the import of wheat, he asked the private sector to take advantage of it, as the global supply chain was damaged.
Read: Kakar blames wheat imports on caretaker provincial governments
He appreciated the PTI government’s initiative to issue Statutory Regulatory Orders (SROs) for import of wheat during the COVID period was a wise decision as the balance of supply and demand was maintained.
He emphasized that no new laws were enacted to import wheat, as the private sector was given permission to import wheat by the previous government.
Kekar ​​defended the government’s non-interference in market mechanisms, while placing its role in regulation rather than intervention.
During the initial part of the program, Kekar ​​stated that August 8 was the last day of the PDM government, and the interim government took over on August 9.
At the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meeting, it was estimated that the country would require 3 to 4 million tons of wheat to meet its requirements, meanwhile a detailed discussion was held regarding the reported shortfall of 3 to 4 million metric tons.
“At that time, the wheat stock including excess stock was 1.4 million tons, the wheat shortage compliance procedure was checked and it was announced that the wheat is purchased through TCP,” Kekar ​​claimed.
In response to the shortage, the wheat shortage management procedure was reviewed, focusing on the procurement of wheat through the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP).
Former Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar further clarified that the federal government is initiating the import of wheat and fertilizers based on data received from the provinces.
He added that the former caretaker government has allocated 297 billion rupees to be earmarked for TCP’s procurement efforts, which aim to maintain a strategic reserve of one million tonnes of wheat.
However, objections were raised regarding the procurement methodology used by TCP, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) expressing reservations about wheat procurement from TCP.
