Clearance of substandard wheat: National Assembly body asks DPP to submit reply within 15 days

A sub committee of the National Assembly has taken a strict notice of release of another 17 containers of substandard wheat on April 8, 2015. An official statement said on Friday that the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) had failed to satisfy the National Assembly's committee regarding the release of substandard wheat.
It said the National Assembly's sub committee of the Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research had asked the Department of Plant Protection to submit a written reply regarding issuance of Plant Protection Releasing Order (PPRO) to clear more 17 containers of substandard wheat. The third meeting of the National Assembly's sub committee of the Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research was held under the chairmanship of Convenor Malik Shakir Bashir Awan at Customs House Karachi here on Friday.
According to the statement, the committee has taken strict notice of release of another 17 containers of substandard wheat on April 8, 2015. Director General Plant Protection Dr Mubarak Ahmed said in the meeting that the wheat was fit for the human consumption and free from diseases.
The Chief Customs Collector Nasir Masroor Ahmed briefed the Committee that "we tested the wheat in our HEJ laboratory and found that wheat was diseased and harmful for human consumption." The sub committee directed the DG DPP to submit a written answer in 15 days and clear his position regarding issuance of PPRO to release substandard wheat. The sub committee members said in the meeting that strict action will be taken against the responsible officials who are involved in this heinous crime.
The Customs officials briefed the committee that three officers of Customs have been suspended and probe is continuing against them, who released the 82 containers of substandard wheat without Plant Protection Releasing Order (PPRO). The meeting was attended by members of the Committee Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan, Faqir Sher Muhammad Bilalani, Muhammad Salman Khan Baluch, Secretary Committee Sher Bahadur Awan, Collectors Customs Manzoor Hussain Memon, Suriya Ahmed Butt, Joint Secretary Minister of Commerce Muhammad Ashraf, Director TCP Rafique Ahmed Buriro and others.