- Azma Bokhari terms KP, Sindh criticism ‘contrary to facts,’ calling inter-provincial ban ‘rumours baseless’
- Asserting wheat and flour transport continues under permits, and digital monitoring
- Praises CM Maryam’s policy as ‘pro-people,’ saying subsidized wheat ensures price stability
LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari on Sunday categorically denied reports of any restriction on the inter-provincial movement of wheat, calling the “ongoing propaganda” in this regard baseless, misleading, and contrary to facts.
Her remarks came after the Punjab government faced criticism from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh over allegations that it was obstructing the supply of wheat and flour to other provinces.
In a letter dated October 23, the KP government urged Punjab to withdraw the alleged curbs on inter-provincial wheat and flour movement, warning that such restrictions were disrupting supply chains, inflating prices, and endangering food security in the province. Meanwhile, Sindh’s PPP leadership also accused Punjab of limiting the supply of wheat seed.
Rejecting the claims, Bokhari clarified that the transportation of flour across provinces was continuing “transparently and under official permits,” ensuring full traceability of consignments. “There is no ban on the inter-provincial movement of wheat or flour. All such claims are politically motivated,” she said in a statement issued by the Punjab government and carried by APP.
Criticising the KP government, the minister remarked that if the province’s flour demand exceeded its production capacity, “it should release its own stored wheat or procure it from the Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO).”
“Punjab cannot compromise the right of its people to affordable flour for the sake of another party’s political theatrics,” Bokhari said. She added that over 200 flour mills in KP were currently non-operational, urging the provincial leadership to “focus on reviving these mills instead of staging protests outside Adiala Jail” — a reference to KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s recent sit-in after being denied a meeting with incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan.
Reaffirming that there was no ban on inter-provincial wheat movement under the national wheat policy, Bokhari said Article 18 of the Constitution and relevant provincial laws permitted regulated transport through permits and digital monitoring to prevent hoarding and profiteering.
She stressed that the welfare of Punjab’s citizens remained the government’s foremost priority. “The availability and affordability of flour for every citizen have been fully ensured. This pro-people governance model is what some elements find hard to digest,” she asserted.
The minister noted that Punjab was using taxpayer funds to provide subsidised wheat and avert any potential supply crisis during the dry months. She revealed that the province currently held wheat reserves of 0.885 million metric tons, valued at Rs100 billion, reflecting the “farsighted and organised policies” of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
Bokhari added that flour mills were being supplied wheat at Rs3,000 per maund (40kg) to maintain market stability and price control, ensuring steady availability of the essential commodity across Punjab.
