DLP Report
PESHAWAR
0Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Shafi Jan on Monday said there was no shortage of wheat or flour anywhere in the province, assuring the public that sufficient stocks were available and the market situation remained fully under control.
Addressing a joint press conference at the Itlaa Cell of the Civil Secretariat along with Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Food Dr. Muhammad Israr, the minister said the province’s annual wheat requirement was 5.436 million metric tonnes, while local production in 2026 stood at 1.632 million metric tonnes, leaving a deficit of 3.804 million metric tonnes. He said the shortfall had traditionally been met through purchases from other provinces, particularly Punjab.
Shafi Jan said government food warehouses currently held 153,933 metric tonnes of wheat, while the private sector was estimated to have 114,806 metric tonnes of wheat and flour in stock.
He said the provincial cabinet had approved the purchase of 175,000 metric tonnes of wheat from the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO), of which 25,000 metric tonnes had already been received. An agreement had also been signed and advance payment made for the remaining 150,000 metric tonnes, he added.
The minister said the cabinet had further approved the procurement of 225,000 metric tonnes of wheat from local farmers at a support price of Rs3,500 per 40 kilograms. He added that wheat and flour were available across the province and that supplies and prices were being monitored daily on the directives of Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi to prevent artificial shortages and price hikes.
The minister criticized the Punjab government for imposing what he termed unnecessary restrictions on the transportation of wheat and flour, alleging that the measures were contrary to the spirit of Article 151 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of inter-provincial trade. He warned that such restrictions could disrupt supplies to the province, increase market pressure, and push up prices.
Shafi Jan said the provincial government had approached constitutional and parliamentary forums to ensure uninterrupted supplies and had sent 15 letters to the federal and Punjab governments on the issue. He added that the chief minister had also engaged the governor and opposition parties to build consensus for resolving the matter.
He said the provincial government would continue to ensure the uninterrupted availability of wheat and flour through regular market monitoring, maintenance of strategic reserves, and close coordination with all relevant institutions. He urged the federal and Punjab governments to immediately remove all unnecessary restrictions to ensure the smooth movement of wheat and flour between provinces.
Criticizing the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Shafi Jan alleged that KP had repeatedly faced discriminatory treatment under PML-N governments. He claimed the party had undermined the province’s rights and public mandate, adding that a government formed through the “Form 47” process had little understanding of the hardships faced by the people.
