Gov’t vows to control wheat, flour prices

ISLAMABAD: The federal government Wednesday vowed to take all possible measures to control the prices of wheat and overcome shortages (if any) of the commodity.

The resolve was made at a high-level meeting held at the Finance Division here to review the wheat and flour situation in the country and the causes for recent increase in wheat and flour prices, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

The meeting was chaired by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, according to a press statement issued by the ministry here Wednesday.

Minister for Science and Technology, Fawad Chaudhry, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Institutional Reforms and Austerity Dr Ishrat Hussain, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood, Punjab Senior Food Minister Abdul Aleem Khan, secretary finance, secretary national food security and research, secretary industries and production and chief secretary Punjab attended the meeting in person while the chief secretaries of Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan attended the meeting on Zoom.

During the meeting, which was convened on the direction of the prime minister, various issues with regard to increase in the prices of wheat and flour were highlighted.

“It was resolved that the government would take all possible measures to control the prices of wheat and overcome shortages, if any,” the statement added.

Following the discussion, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research was asked to prepare and bring up a summary in the light of discussion on the subject to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet so that the matter could be discussed at the cabinet level for appropriate decisions to ensure provision of wheat and flour across the country throughout the year at a reasonable prices.