Islamabad, 4th May, 2016. A meeting of the Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research held today at 11:00 a.m. in Committee Room of Ministry of National Food Security & Research, “B” Block, Pak. Secretariat, Islamabad, under the Chairmanship of Malik Shakir Bashir Awan, MNA to discuss godowns/warehouses for wheat storage all over the country and wheat procurement by the PASSCO for the current year.

The Honorable Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research apprised the Committee that PASSCO godowns at Karachi having capacity of 17,600 m tons were under illegal occupation of private parties for last 22 years. Due to untiring pursuance of PASSCO, these godowns have been vacated after a protracted legal battle which is a great achievement. He further informed that Pakistan is having surplus wheat for last 3 years.  

The Managing Director, PASSCO apprised the Committee about the functions of PASSCO including the provision of food security at national level, by maintaining strategic reserves of wheat and supply of wheat to deficit provinces like AJK, GB as well as Armed Forces etc. He further informed that the total requirement/liabilities of PASSCO during 2016-17 as approved by the ECC are 1.797 mm tones which includes 1.00 mm tones of National Strategic Reserves. He also apprised the Committee that currently PASSCO’s receivables have accumulated to the alarming level of Rs.74.00 billion.                

The Committee strongly recommended that Ministry of Finance should release Rs.74 billion on account of receivables of PASSCO on priority basis. The Committee also recommended that a policy may be framed for the timely disposal of the surplus wheat to avoid the payment of huge amount on account of markup. The Committee further recommended that the import duty on agricultural machinery may be reduced to maximum extent to marginalize the monopoly of tractor manufacturing units in Pakistan. The Committee extended the period of the Sub-Committee to finalize its report.   

The meeting was attended by, Capt. (R) Muhammad Safdar, Ch. Iftikhar Nazeer, Mr. Tahir Iqbal Ch., Syed Iftikhar-ul Hassan, Ms. Shahnaz Saleem, Ms. Khalida Mansoor, Ms. Parveen Masood Bhatti, Pir Shafqat Hussain Jilani, Mr. Faqir Sher Muhammad Bilalani, Dr. Fouzia Hameed and Mr. Muhammad Salman Khan Baloch , MNAs and Federal Minister for National Food Security & Research, beside senior officers from Ministry, M.D. PASSCO also.