Punjab govt can’t procure all wheat: Ch. Pervaiz Elahi

LAHORE: Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, the central leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid, has alleged that the Punjab government’s claims of procuring the last grain of wheat like its other policies and promises have hit the snag.

Pervaiz Elahi was talking to the media after chairing a meeting of the PML-Q farmer wings’ district presidents here on Monday. The farmers presented him the monitoring reports of their respective districts. Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Zaheer, Raja Basharat, Husnian Bahadur Drashek, Arshad Khan Lodhi, Dr Fakhar Cheema and Mian Munir were also present.

Pervaiz alleged that the provincial government was hiding its inefficiency and failures by deceiving people and the media with the announcements regarding export of wheat. He claimed that there were long queues of farmers outside the wheat procurement centres and they were being given cheques of deducted amounts, which were not being cashed, alleging that the PML-N workers and leaders were minting money at the cost of farmers. He also alleged that the PML-N would provide wheat to flourmills at the rate of Rs 1,050 per maund and there was big question mark as on what rate flour would be available to people.

The PML-Q leader said the government had failed to control the situation and farmers, who had risked their entire amount for cultivating wheat, were moving to and fro for the sale of their produce. He claimed that the farmers had not faced such humiliation in the past and they were forced to sell their produce to the middlemen on Rs 800 and 850 per maund on one-two month credit. He ridiculed the governments’ claim of exporting wheat and stated that wheat was available in the international market at the rate of $ 225 per tonne while the rate of Pakistan’s wheat was $332.

Pervaiz alleged that the government was suspending officers just to hide its inefficiency while the issue could have been handled through good governance. He also distributed a letter from the food department, which had alleged that they had distributed 5,000 gunny bags among the PML-N legislators but they had neither returned neither the gunny bags nor wheat and the bags were available in the market at the rate of Rs 85 per bag.

The PML-Q leader said the CM had announced to turn 8-Club Road into an IT university for women but the place was occupied by his advisors and bullet-proof cars were being used for purchasing vegetables. He said there was a big question mark before the purchase of Roti at Rs 2.