KP govt to release imported wheat, says minister

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to release imported wheat stored in warehouses across the province, following the approval of a detailed release policy in a high-level meeting chaired by Provincial Food Minister Zahir Shah Toru.

The meeting, held in Peshawar, was attended by key officials including Musaddiq Abbasi, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Anti-Corruption; Saqib Raza Aslam, Secretary of the Food Department; Ashfaq Ahmed, Additional Secretary; Musarrat Zaman, Director of Food; and other department officials.

During the meeting, Secretary Saqib Raza Aslam provided a briefing on the wheat release policy. Zahir Shah Toru announced that 77,762 metric tons of imported wheat are currently stored across various godowns in the province.

The wheat will be released to operational flour mills in respective districts at a price of Rs2,400 per 40 kilograms. To ensure transparency, a monitoring committee comprising the divisional deputy director of food, district food controller, and assistant food controller has been established to oversee the operation.

Also, CCTV cameras have been installed in warehouses to monitor the movement of wheat, and the release will only occur during daylight hours, between sunrise and sunset.

The minister stated that the imported wheat has been declared safe for human consumption by the National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering in Faisalabad. He stressed the need for a transparent and orderly release process and warned that any negligence or misconduct would lead to strict legal action against those responsible.