Kakar shifts wheat import blame on former PTI government

Former caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar said that the excessive wheat was imported under the Statutory Regulatory Orders (SRO) issued by the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.

“If the import of wheat is a sinful act, then this sin was made under the SRO formulated in PTI’s tenure in 2019,” he said while addressing a press conference on Tuesday.

The former premier, accompanied by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, accused the media of twisting the facts of his statement.

“I have not blamed provinces or any other on grain issue and import of commodity was made under the data provided and collected by provinces,” Kakar said.

“Our country needs approximately 26 to 27 million tonnes of wheat, facing a shortage of approximately 4m tonnes,” he added.

Kakar said there are two ways to overcome the shortage whether the government should import wheat and sell it at subsidised rates or allow the private sector to do so.

Around 3.2 million tonnes of wheat was imported between Septe­mber 2023 and March 2024, while the local crop hit the market in April.

“I am not a Mughal emperor who can order import and export wheat. In this regard, I have not given permission or authority to the private sector,” said the former interim premier.