Govt asked to debate wheat policy in Council of Common Interests

Criticising the government’s wheat policy, Pakistan Business Forum on Wednesday warned of a looming crisis and demanded the matter be thoroughly debated by the Council of Common Interests (CCI) immediately. In a statement, PBF — a non-profit association of country-wide trade and industry — urged the government to immediately reconsider its decision to abolish the wheat support price. It warned of a looming crisis as the harvest season begins and called for bringing the pricing issue before the CCI as it challenged national food security. PBF Chief Organiser Ahmad Jawad said the government rushed into a free market policy despite having another year to fulfil conditions required under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. He criticised the absence of a comprehensive policy created in consultation with stakeholders, adding that last year’s poor import decisions already hurt wheat farmers and this year’s hasty approach may deepen their losses.