FIA report declares wheat crisis ‘artificial’

ISLAMABAD: An investigation team formed at Prime Minister Imran Khan’s orders to investigate the wheat and flour crisis in the country has declared the shortage artificial and result of “mismanagement” in its report.

The team, headed by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Wajid Zia, sent its report to the Prime Minister’s Office after completing their investigation.

Besides declaring the flour crisis artificial, the report goes on to state there was no wheat crisis in the country as it was “created”. The report says there are 2.1 million tonnes of wheat reserves available in the country.

The wheat and flour crisis occurred in the country from the end of 2019, leading the price of flour to inflate to Rs85 per kg in various areas of the country. Mill owners had refused to provide flour in Rs40 per kg and the purported mismanagement by various quarters led to anger among the public.