Daily Times

Prime Minister Imran Khan has constituted an inquiry committee to probe wheat/flour-related controversy, and identify and fix responsibility for the crisis that has gripped the country in recent days.

According to a notification issued on Wednesday, the committee has been asked to “identify and fix responsibility, if any, on any individual/officer/organisation, including any purported benefit to a private party.” The committee, comprising Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) director general as convener, and representative of Intelligence Bureau (IB) not below BS-20/21, Punjab Anti-Corruption director general as members and any other member(s) as the convener may opt, will complete the inquiry within the fortnight and submit report to the prime minister by February 6.

According to the notification, the committee will also suggest a way forward for future course of action. “The inquiry report shall, inter alia, include: identification of cause; circumstances leading to the wheat/flour related controversy; assessment/projection of future stock leading to allowing export of wheat/flour products and subsequent imposition of ban on exports; management of wheat stocks, within federal government and provinces, and coordination with provinces; and any other issue, deemed appropriate, related to the wheat/flour related controversy,” the notification stated. The development comes as the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday issued notices to the federal and provincial authorities on a petition challenging the recent hike in prices of wheat flour.

A bench of the LHC, headed by Justice Mamoon Rasheed Shaikh, heard the case. The court directed the official respondents to submit their comments on the petition that assailed a recent increase in prices of wheat flour. It directed the Punjab additional chief secretary and the food secretary to appear before it in person. The bench also instructed the authorities to spell out how did the wheat crisis arise and who was behind it.

In a crackdown against profiteers, the Lahore city administration on Wednesday fined at least three flour mills for selling the commodity at Rs 76 per kilogram against the official rate of Rs 45.

The Punjab government has launched a province-wide crackdown on wheat hoarders and profiteers to control the wheat flour prices. The provincial government has decided to take strict and indiscriminate action against those involved in creating an artificial shortage of the major food supplement. Earlier on Monday, members of the Senate lambasted the government for the wheat shortage and condemned Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed’s remarks on the issue, which they said made ‘a mockery of the people of Pakistan’.

Rashid, when asked to comment on the wheat crisis in a press conference, had said, “In November and December, people eat more bread than usual. It’s not a joke, a study backs my claims.”