A representational image showing inside view of the National Assembly. — AFP/File

ISLAMABAD: Parliamentarians from both the opposition and treasury benches in the National Assembly called on the government to assist the struggling farmers facing hardships due to wheat procurement delays. They also demanded accountability for those who were allowed to import large quantities of wheat.

“At least six ships loaded with wheat were to arrive in Karachi within 15 days of the start of procurement season,” said Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur of the Pakistan Peoples Party, while speaking on a calling attention notice. He said the government would also have to review the policy to purchase wheat from farmers. “If this is not done, farmers will not cultivate wheat next season,” he said.

Dr. Nafeesa Shah said that there should be more and more transparent procurement of wheat from farmers. “The government should procure wheat directly from farmers instead of giving subsidies to others,” he said.

Opposition member Umair Khan Niazi said that farmers have been bearing heavy costs for the cultivation of wheat and other crops. He said that during the years 2023 and 2024, the government had imported 3.87 million tons of wheat, even though there was a bumper crop in the country. “Wheat was imported for kickbacks and economic murder of farmers,” he said.

Sheikh Waqas Akram said the Punjab government was purchasing wheat for Rs4,700, which was imported for Rs3,200, whereas farmers were forced to sell the commodity for Rs2,800 to Rs3,000 per 40 kilogrammes against the support price of Rs3,950 per 40 kilogrammes. He also came harsh on Punjab for failing to procure wheat from farmers, saying the provincial government was purchasing imported wheat for Rs4,700 per 40 kilograms.

He also questioned why wheat was imported when there was a bumper crop in the country. He asked the government how it would be able to defend itself and face farmers if they came out on the road and started protesting. “When it comes for farmers to bear fruit from their wheat crop, it is the middleman who takes all the benefit,” he said.

Waqas Akram suggested that those who were involved in the unnecessary import of wheat should be punished publicly under the Constitution.

Raza Hiraj said that it was the first time that the Punjab government was refusing to purchase wheat from farmers. He also criticised the Punjab government for deciding to procure 600 kilograms per acre of wheat from farmers yielding wheat on a maximum of six acres of land. “A uniform policy should be evolved in the house so that the whole wheat is procured,” he said. He said the provincial government should be bound to purchase wheat from farmers.

Shaharyar Khan Mahar of PPP questioned as to what the target procurement target for wheat was and what the criteria for procurement are. Khawaja Izharul Hasan of MQM called upon the government to announce the national food security policy for the next 50 years in the best interests of agriculture and the country.

Responding to points raised by the parliamentarians, Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanvir Hussain said that on the directive of the prime minister, he had written a letter to the provincial governments to start procuring wheat from farmers. He admitted that imports of wheat were made during the regime of the caretaker government, even though there was no shortage of commodity in the country. “Imports of inferior quality wheat were made,” he said.

He said the government was ready to conduct an inquiry into the import of wheat to see whether it was required or not. He said the procurement of wheat was a provincial subject. He acknowledged fluctuations in prices and lamented the inefficiency in subsidy distribution, citing instances where it fails to reach farmers despite allocation.

He assured the house that there would be an improvement in the process of importing wheat from farmers in the next four to five days.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Omar Ayub alleged that there has been evidence of slow poisoning of Bushra Bibi, saying they would believe in reports when doctors of Shaukat Khanum Hospital were given access to her.

Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazir Tarar said that there was nothing wrong with the medical reports of Bushra Bibi, which were conducted at the Shifa International Hospital, which is the most reliable private hospital in Islamabad. “Her medical reports were conducted from private hospitals after they raised objections to reports from government hospitals,” he said. The minister said the PTI leadership would be satisfied only when they got results of their choice. The law minister on another calling attention notice said that high electricity tariffs are due to electricity theft and line losses, even though 78% of total electricity is produced from cheap resources like hydroelectric, coal and nuclear energy.

To a point raised by Shahid Akhtar Ali of the JUIF, the minister said that complaints regarding delays in the installation of net metres for consumers who are installing solar panels would be addressed in the days to come, adding that the issue was also raised at the concerned Senate standing committee.