ISLAMABAD: A high-level inquiry committee, probing the wheat import
scandal, summoned former Caretaker Prime Minister (PM) Anwaarul Haq
Kakar and ex-Secretary Food Muhammad Mahmood.
According to the details, the inquiry committee formed by the Prime Minister
Shehbaz Sharif has started its work. The maiden meeting of the high-level
committee was chaired by Secretary Cabinet Kamran Ali.
On the first day of the inquiry, it also reviewed a report of the earlier formed
inquiry committee.
The committee headed by Secretary Cabinet Kamran Ali directed former Prime
Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar and ex-Secretary Food Muhammad Mahmood to
appear before it on Sunday.
The sources privy to the development said that the committee will also hold its
meeting on Sunday and present report to the prime minister on Monday.
The sources added that the maiden meeting of the committee lasted for six hours
in which two former Secretaries of Food Security Muhammad Mehmood and
Muhammad Asif were questioned.
The sources privy to the development said that the committee will also inquire
from former Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar, former interim Minister for
Commerce and Trade Gohar Ejaz, and the Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister
Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday’s meeting.
The committee’s members believed that caretaker federal cabinet members had
an important role on the wheat import and the inquiry report will be incomplete
without inquiring them.
The committee has already completed the investigation with officers of Customs,
Karachi Port and FBR.
Earlier on Friday, Anwaarul Haq Kakar and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz
(PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi indulged in a quarrel over the wheat import
scandal.
According to sources, a heated argument took place between the former prime
minister and Hanif Abbasi at a private hotel last night.
“You pointed out us in the wheat scandal the other day. Have you come to arrest
us?” Anwaarul Haq Kakar asked Hanif Abbasi.
The sources said that Hanif Abbasi replied, “I swear you are a thief, you have
taken a commission in the wheat scandal,”. The PML-N leader went on to say
that whatever he said in the television programme was ‘absolutely right’.
It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif sacked
Secretary Food Security Muhammad Asif and formed a high-level inquiry
committee to probe into the matter of wheat import in the country
The prime minister constituted a committee headed by the Secretary Cabinet
Division and tasked it to conduct a thorough into the matter.
Chairing a high-level review meeting regarding the current status of wheat
reserves in the country, PM Shehbaz questioned as to why the decision to import
wheat was taken despite the good production of the commodity last year.
The initial reports on wheat import scandal revealed shocking details.
According to sources, the initial report stated that the federal institutions are
responsible for the unnecessary import of wheat. Despite existing reserves of
40.47 lakh metric tons in Punjab, an additional 35.87 lakh metric tons were
imported, creating an artificial shortage.
Sources said that the report suspects officials from the Punjab Food Department
and Pasco of involvement in the scandal.
The investigation has found that wheat was imported at a cost of Rs 2600-2900
per maund and sold at a higher price of Rs 4700 per maund. The import
permission was granted for 1 million metric tons, but it was exceeded without
limit, sources added.
Sources revealed that the federal institutions allowed private companies to
import wheat without proper checks, and some officials from the Ministry of
Finance also failed to scrutinize the large-scale import.
Furthermore, the wheat import continued from September 26, 2023, to March
31, 2024, resulting in a massive influx of wheat in the market. The complete
report will be presented to the government within three days, sources added.
The wheat import caused a $1 billion loss to the national kitty.