Pakistan: Shehbaz Sharif Govt Imposes Ban On Wheat Import, Flour Export

Islamabad: The Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistan Muslim League (N) Government has banned the import of wheat and the export of flour on Friday in order to regulate the country’s wheat market, as per a notification issued by the Ministry of Commerce, Ary News reported. The decision was taken because the country had imported more wheat than its demand, leading to a surplus.
The government has amended its Import and Export Policy Orders 2022 to implement the ban, which also includes a prohibition on exporting flour made from imported wheat, as per Ary News.
Earlier in March, the federal government had conditionally allowed the export of flour made from imported wheat under the Export Facilitation Scheme 2021.
On July 10, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told the National Assembly that the government had not decided on the export of wheat even as the State-Owned Enterprises (Governance and Operations) Bill, 2024 was rushed through the legislature.
“No decision has been made for the export of wheat. I want to bring it on record before the House that there is no such decision for the wheat export,” he told the National Assembly responding to a point of order raised by a parliamentarian.
However, referring to the PTI government’s sugar and wheat scams, he recalled that it was also on record that in the past wheat and sugar were first exported and later imported and where the billions and trillions of rupees went was part of the history.
A fresh ruling by the Senate enables the authorities to let go of staff within government-owned companies, granted the board nomination committee gives the green light. Before it becomes formally valid, President Asif Ali Zardari still needs to sign off on the modification.