Nawaz calls PM over wheat scandal

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) supremo Nawaz Sharif has taken a decisive action amid ongoing wheat scandal, calling Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to address the crisis.

Sources revealed that a meeting convened in Jati Umra residence of Sharifs, chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the PMLN Quaid emphasised that those responsible for the wheat crisis would face consequences.

In the meeting, it was disclosed that ships carrying wheat left for Pakistan while the clearance was given later. A ship that usually takes 25 days to reach Karachi port took only seven days after the clearance.The prime minister is scheduled to present a report on the wheat scandal to Nawaz Sharif.

Furthermore, discussions in the meeting centered on the procurement method of wheat from farmers in Punjab. Nawaz advocated for the immediate issuance of Kisan cards to facilitate farmers in upcoming crops. Upon receipt of the fact-finding report, a comprehensive plan for wheat procurement in Punjab would be unveiled, with farmers receiving Kisan cards worth Rs500 billion.

Notably, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has initiated an inquiry into the import of 691 thousand metric tons of wheat during the government’s first month. He has instructed authorities to identify those accountable for the continuation of wheat imports and the opening of LCs post-February 2024.