PTI warns of looming food crisis, slams govt over ‘anti-farmer’ policies

• Sh Waqas says flawed policies crippling economy, agriculture, claiming wheat growers facing Rs60,000 per acre losses

• Says pricing uncertainty, middlemen dominance hit farmers hard, flaying govt’s private procurement model

• Condemns Imran Khan’s death cell confinement, demands immediate release

 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram on Monday launched a scathing attack on the government, accusing it of pursuing “flawed, short-sighted and agenda-driven policies” that have crippled key sectors of the economy, which he claimed had performed significantly better under the leadership of Imran Khan.

In a strongly worded statement, the PTI leader said the government’s “anti-people and anti-farmer policies” had brought economic activity to a near standstill, pushing Pakistan’s agricultural backbone into deep distress and paralysing the broader economy.

He warned that without immediate, comprehensive and practical policy corrections, the country risks not only a decline in wheat production but also a looming food security crisis.

Sh Waqas said the ruling elite appeared detached from the ground realities faced by ordinary citizens and farmers, adding that growers across the country were once again approaching a breaking point.

Highlighting the deepening wheat crisis, he said farmers were grappling with uncertainty over pricing, flawed procurement arrangements, non-availability of gunny bags and the increasing dominance of middlemen in markets — factors that have severely eroded their financial viability.

“Despite the announcement of a support price of Rs3,500 per maund, the rate does not reflect actual production costs,” he said, adding that per-acre cultivation expenses — driven by sharp increases in fertilisers, seeds, pesticides, water charges, diesel, harvesting and threshing — have surged to nearly Rs210,000.

With an average yield of 45 maunds per acre, farmers are able to recover only around Rs150,000, resulting in a loss of approximately Rs60,000 per acre, he added.

Criticising the procurement model, Waqas said the Punjab government had shifted wheat purchasing to 11 private companies instead of ensuring direct and timely procurement. He alleged these firms were given extensive facilitation, including access to government warehouses, billions of rupees worth of gunny bags, subsidised bank financing with 70 percent interest borne by the state, and guaranteed profit margins.

Despite these incentives, he claimed procurement centres remained either non-functional or too limited, forcing farmers — particularly in South Punjab — to sell wheat to middlemen at Rs2,800–2,900 per maund.

He also expressed concern over a lack of transparency in gunny bag distribution, alleging that influential individuals were given priority while small and medium farmers were left waiting. Strict procurement conditions, including moisture and purity limits, arbitrary deductions and the mandatory Kisan Card requirement, have effectively excluded many genuine growers, he added.

Sh Waqas further said soaring fertiliser prices, particularly DAP and urea, fears of shortages for the next season and rising diesel costs have made farming increasingly unaffordable, adding that government claims of subsidies have yet to translate into real relief for farmers.

He called for a realistic wheat support price aligned with production costs, transparent and farmer-friendly procurement mechanisms, equitable distribution of gunny bags, and strict regulation of fertiliser availability and pricing, along with direct financial relief for growers.

“Farmers are the backbone of Pakistan’s economy — neglecting them today will have consequences the entire nation will bear tomorrow,” he warned.

PTI slams restrictions on Imran Khan

Meanwhile, the PTI leader criticised authorities for not transferring Imran Khan and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, to a private hospital for medical treatment under the supervision of their personal doctors.

He also condemned restrictions on meetings with lawyers, family members and party leadership despite court orders, alleging that the former prime minister was being held in solitary confinement under harsh conditions, which he termed a violation of fundamental rights and the law.Waqas demanded the immediate release of all political prisoners, including Imran Khan and his wife, and called for fresh elections to steer the country out of the current crisis.