Daily Times

Senators from opposition parties on Monday lashed out at the government over flour and wheat shortages in the country and termed the government anti-people.

They lamented the government for rising prices of essential commodities in the country, while also condemning a federal minister’s remarks on the issue, which they said made “a mockery of the people of Pakistan”. Speaking in the Senate, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Pervaiz Rasheed criticised the government for exporting more than 0.6 million tonnes of wheat and said that wheat, sugar and dollar crisis benefitted owners of “planes and kitchens”. Senator Muzaffar Shah demanded an investigation to reveal culprits behind the flour crisis.

Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Sirajul Haq said that the government has even increased price of death certificate. He was pointing to an earlier statement by PM Imran Khan in which he said that peace can only be found in grave.

“This issue concerns the people of Pakistan,” said Senator Sirajul Haq, the head of Jamaat-e-Islami. “Pakistan is an agricultural economy,” he said, adding that it was the eighth-largest wheat producing country in the world. “Despite this, the people of Pakistan are desperate for roti,” he lamented. “What is cruel is that a federal minister, standing among the people, says that people eat more bread in November and December, which has caused the commodity shortage,” said Sirajul Haq. “Do these people have hearts of stone?” he questioned, adding that the minister had made a joke of the people of Pakistan. His comments were echoed by Senator Usman Kakar of the Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party, who demanded to know about those responsible for the crisis. “The main culprit is the anti-people government and those who have imposed it on the people,” said Kakar. “They have made life difficult. People haven’t voted for them, which is why they are continuously punishing people,” he added. Responding to criticism by opposition parties, the government’s Senator Mohsin Aziz acknowledged suffering of public due to flour crisis and claimed that the situation would significantly improve in the next two days.

The Senate chairman summons Minister for Food Security today (Tuesday) to answer questions regarding the present flour crisis.

Senator Mushtaq Ahmad of JI had raised the issue of poor economic situation in the country where inflation was on top. He termed the “naya Pakistan” a deceiving Pakistan, where people were committing suicides due to poverty.

He claimed that fiscal deficit had already reached 8.9 percent. “Only proving shelter and food to a few was not sufficient; rather the government has to take drastic steps to improve the economy.” He suggested that the government should take opposition in to confidence and prepared a comprehensive economic policy.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Azam Swati claimed that the government had kept just $25 billion to maintain value of Pak rupee. When the PTI formed the government, the economy was near to collapse, while today it was better, he claimed. The minister also claimed that today the exports increased by 4.5 percent, imports declined by 20 percent and trade deficit decreased by 17 percent. He also claimed that the year 2020 was the year of prosperity for the people.