Wheat disappears from govt stocks, NA told

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Food Security Syed Fakhar Imam Friday told the National Assembly about mysterious disappearance of wheat from the government stocks saying that 0.7 million ton wheat would be imported to meet the shortage.

“We have procured record six million ton wheat, but it is a mystery as to where it has gone,” he said while winding up debate on the agriculture sector. Fakhar also pointed out that wheat in Punjab was available at Rs1,700 to Rs1,800 per 40 kilogram, whereas the farmer was paid Rs1,400.

“One of reasons for the wheat issue may be increase in the price of wheat on the international market,” he said. Speaker Asad Qaiser ruled that the ban on inter-provincial wheat movement was an unconstitutional act and directed the government to submit a comprehensive report to the House in this regard. “If sufficient stocks of wheat were available, then where have they gone?” he asked.

Fakhar called for provision of funds to the agricultural institutions observing that the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) and National Agriculture Research Council (NARC) could play a leading role in this connection.

Stressing the need for development of big water reservoirs, the minister said after Mangla and Tarbela dams, the foundation of Bhasha Dam had been laid. “We can learn from China, which has built many tremendous dams projects.

PTI parliamentarian Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi said farmers were facing a difficult time and they would have to be provided with electricity at cheaper rate and irrigation water. “The farmers can be provided relief through availability of irrigation water with the creation of small dams along with major water reservoirs and subsidy on electricity and fertilizer,” he said.

Amjad Khan observed that promotion of agriculture sector would bring about a revolution in the country. Rana Qasim Noon of PTI observed that the agriculture sector needed a special attention of the government and demanded that the growers should be saved from the high-handedness of sugar mills owners.

Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan stressed the need for establishment of agriculture chambers on the pattern of chambers functional for the business community and industrial sector to protect the rights of farmers.

He said agriculture universities and agriculture departments should be made active and friendly with the farming community. PPP Parliamentarian’s Agha Rafiullah protested against non-release of development funds for the opposition members. Minister for Power Omar Ayub and PTI member form Karachi Faheem Khan replied to the opposition member in their own coin by asking as to why the PPP government in Sindh was not providing development funds to the PTI members of the provincial assembly. Former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf ridiculed the prime minister’s claims about expected discovery of oil and gas from the sea.

Omar Ayub said Project Kekra-1 was launched by a joint venture of exploration and production companies namely M/s Eni, Exxon Mobil, OGDCL and PPL without any expenditure by the government.

As for as the reasons of failure are concerned, he said the well was drilled to a total depth of 5,693 meters, he said, adding that all pre-drill risk studies had identified the source rock as the main risk factor for determining the chances of success which were 12%.

The well results confirm the failure attributed to the absence of any source rock while the total amount incurred on drilling of well was $122.7 million. Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), on a point of order, pointed out that the benefit of record reduction in the oil prices were not passed on to the masses.

In written reply to a question, Minister for Communication Murad Saeed told the House that the Metro Bus project from Peshawar Mor (Kashmir Highway) to the new Islamabad Airport would be completed by mid-August this year.

He said import of accelerators and lifts from China and Spain for the project was delayed due to spread of COVID-19. Omar Ayub Khan told the House that at present there was no shortfall of electricity, as sufficient generation was available to meet the demand. In a written reply to a question, he said no load shedding was being carried out by the distribution companies in the country due to generation shortfall at present.