The inter-provincial meeting on wheat crisis on Friday ended up here without any progress when Punjab representative Iqbal remained hard on stated position of his province that ban on wheat movement is the only way out for the provincial government to meet its buying target of 3.5 million tons from open market.
Sources told Business Recorder that Chaudhary Iqbal, who is Food Minister in Punjab, told the meeting that the ban was to ensure buying of required stocks to ensure food security for full one year to all provinces which heavily depend on Punjab for smooth supply of flour (atta).
His argument in support of his claim was that the ban on wheat movement was not hitting the people in any part of the country and all criticism against Punjab government was coming from the millers.
He came up with a categorical statement that Punjab will lift ban on wheat movement soon after completing its buying target, and then millers and other players of the private sector would be free to buy and lift the commodity to any part of the country.
Iqbal said he wanted a soft corner from other provinces' food ministers for his province on the controversy so that it could complete the buying within the shortest period for early lifting of the ban.
His call remained ineffective, and the representatives of other provinces differed with him. They demanded lifting of ban without any delay. It created deadlock-like situation.
After having an inconclusive round of talks in the morning, the participants again assembled in the evening to find some amicable solution to the problem but it also remained fruitless and parties remained pegged to their earlier positions.
However, Federal Food Minister Yar Mohammad Rind managed to keep the ball rolling by announcing that the meeting would continue on Saturday.
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