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by Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has denied any shortage of wheat in the country. Responding to a motion under rule 69 on a notice given by the opposition PPP members, he said sufficient stock of wheat is available to meet food needs of the country. The notice for motion under rule 69 was given by Syed Khurshid Shah, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Nawab Abdul Ghani Talpur, Nawab Yousaf Talpur and Syed Naveed Qamar regarding shortage of wheat and rapid rise in the price of flour. Sheikh Rashid Tuesday handled queries pertaining to at least three ministries in the House in absence of the relevant ministers. He said provincial governments have been directed to achieve the wheat procurement target this year to avoid any shortage of food staple next year. Investigation into wheat export in December 2003, which caused wheat shortage in some parts of the country, especially in Parachinar, Gilgit and other parts of the Northern Areas, is being made to fix responsibility. He said the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali is taking steps to reduce input prices of agriculture produce and provide maximum facilities to growers, especially to small farmers. He said that provincial governments have been directed to take special steps so that people should not feel any problem in getting wheat and flour. The minister said the deal to purchase Australian wheat was cancelled because of its substandard quality. Earlier, speaking on the motion, its movers said people are facing hardships because of non-availability of flour. They questioned wheat export at a time when the country itself faced shortage of the commodity.
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