Sindh Senior Minister and Provincial Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon on Thursday said the provincial government had recovered 150,000 tonnes of wheat from hoarders during a province-wide crackdown aimed at stabilising prices and ensuring adequate supplies for the public.
Addressing a press conference, the senior minister said Punjab and Sindh had witnessed bumper wheat harvests this season, but profiteers and hoarders purchased and stored large quantities of wheat, preventing the government from procuring the required stocks.
He said the Sindh government launched a crackdown against hoarders, recovering 150,000 tonnes of wheat and compensating those from whom the grain was seized according to the government-notified procurement rates.
Sharjeel urged those still hoarding wheat to hand over their stocks to the government so that sufficient supplies could be made available in the market. He said wheat prices had declined by 13 percent after the recovered stocks were released.
Responding to a question, the minister said the Sindh government had taken immediate notice of the murder of Dr. Akash Kumar, adding that police acted swiftly by arresting three suspects—Anil, Ram Chand and Suresh—and recovering the vehicle used in the crime. He praised the police for their prompt action and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to taking immediate action against serious crimes.
Sharjeel strongly condemned statements made against the country’s martyrs and ghazis, saying Pakistan’s armed forces had defended the nation on every front. Referring to the recent Pakistan-India conflict, he said the Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force had responded effectively and defeated the enemy.
He urged JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to withdraw his remarks regarding the armed forces, saying such statements had received wide coverage in the Indian media and benefited the country’s adversaries. He said Pakistan’s martyrs and ghazis were national heroes whose sacrifices could not be diminished by any statement.
The senior minister said the entire nation remained united during the Pakistan-India conflict, with every segment of society playing its role. He added that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had consistently struggled against dictatorship but had never spoken against the country’s armed forces.
Sharjeel said Pakistan’s status as the only nuclear power in the Islamic world reflected the vision of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. He stressed that all political, military, business and social segments of society should remain united on issues concerning national interest.
Answering another question, he said Maulana Fazlur Rehman was a seasoned politician and withdrawing his statement would further enhance his stature. He also said the prime minister was keeping the country’s economic conditions in view while making key decisions.
On the wheat issue, Sharjeel said Punjab and Sindh had adopted separate procurement policies. He said there was no evidence that wheat had been transported from Punjab to Afghanistan, but there was evidence of wheat being moved from Sindh to Punjab. He clarified that under the Constitution, no province could stop the movement of wheat to another province.
Highlighting Karachi’s significance, Sharjeel said the metropolis remained the backbone of Pakistan’s economy.
Responding to a question about Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah’s health, he said the minister had suffered a blood clot in the brain while in Dubai and was receiving medical treatment there.
