The NWFP government on Tuesday decided to take up the shortage of flour with high ups of the Punjab government and seek their cooperation in overcoming the crisis in the province. The provincial cabinet, in its maiden meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, decided to constitute a committee headed by the Secretary to the provincial government on Food.
NWFP produces only 1.1 million wheat as against the demand of 3.4 million tons for the settled and tribal areas of the province. The gap between production and demand is filled from buying flour and wheat in open market of Punjab.
However, hoarding and smuggling of the commodity to neighbouring Afghanistan always create shortage of the commodity in the province. The present crisis is attribute to surge in the price of the commodity to the highest level of Rs 520 per 20-kilogram bag and restrictions clamped by Punjab, the main source for supply of flour to the province.
The atta dealers are required obtain special permits by the Punjab Food Department for transportation of the commodity to the province. "Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, who is scheduled to visit to the provincial metropolis, would be asked to intervene into the matter and waive restriction imposed by the Punjab government on transportation of flour to NWFP," Provincial Information Sardar Hussein Babak told a news briefing here on Tuesday.
Regarding other decision, he said that the provincial cabinet had decided to revoke all postings, transfers and recruitment made by the caretaker government after February 18 polls, and had directed all provincial departments to present a detailed report before the cabinet.
He said the provincial cabinet had also amended the recruitment formula in education department. The provincial government, he said, had decided to give top priority to the establishment of peace in Malakand Division and other parts of the province.
For this purpose, he said the provincial cabinet had constituted a special committee, comprising both senior ministers and four other ministers from the region. The committee would hold negotiations with elders, Ulema and elected public representatives to prepare framework for the proposed Jirga to address the matter of lawlessness in restive district of Swat.
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