Minister for Law and Justice, Azam Nazeer Tarar on Thursday rejected claims of a four million-ton wheat shortfall in the country and informed the Senate that sufficient wheat stocks were available to meet domestic needs.
Responding to a point of order raised by Senator Aon Abbas, the minister challenged the opposition to present documented evidence supporting the claim of a major wheat shortage.
He said he had personally consulted Minister for National Food Security, Rana Tanveer Hussain before addressing the House and confirmed that no such shortfall existed.
Azam Tarar said wheat deregulation, introduced last year, had initially disturbed market prices, with wheat selling between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,000 per maund in different areas. However, he said prices later stabilised and wheat transactions in Punjab were currently taking place between Rs 3,400 and Rs 3,600 per maund.
He said the deregulation policy aimed to create a competitive market environment based on supply and demand while also ensuring affordable flour prices for the common man.
He acknowledged that a balance was necessary to protect both consumers and farmers, including small-scale growers.
The minister said despite concerns over unexpected rains, wheat yield this season remained satisfactory.
Responding to concerns over rising petroleum prices, Azam Tarar said the entire world was facing uncertainty due to tensions in the Gulf region.
He said the federal government had absorbed financial pressure for two months by bearing over Rs30 billion in differential costs to support fuel prices.
He said all four provinces had launched subsidised fuel programmes for motorcyclists, public transport and goods transport sectors through digital wallet systems, while the federal government was separately managing similar support measures for Islamabad Capital Territory, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The minister said the government had also implemented austerity measures, including grounding 60 percent of official transport vehicles, reducing fuel allocations by 50 percent and restricting foreign visits by cabinet members.
He said cabinet members had voluntarily withdrawn their salaries for six months and were undertaking foreign visits at personal expense unless required under international obligations.