The Islam-abad High Court (IHC) on Monday issued notices to the minister and the secretary Ministry of National Food Security and Research and others, regarding a petition to constitute an independent judicial commission to probe the wheat crisis.
A single bench of the IHC comprising Justice Aamer Farooq heard the petition moved by the Civil Society of Pakistan through Tariq Asad and directed the respondents to submit their replying within a fortnight.
Asad in his petition made the federation through secretary National Food Security and Research, the prime minister through his principal secretary, federal minister for National Food Security and Research, chairman Economic Coordination Committee, the chief minister Punjab, the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) through its director general, Jahangir Tareen, and Pakistan Flour Mills Association as respondents.
He adopted that the wheat shortage had created a grave crisis in Pakistan therefore an important question arises; who was responsible for it? The petitioner alleged that it was in the knowledge of people that Jahangir Tareen's role in policy decisions related to food security and agriculture had been vital under the current government.
The petitioner stated that the Supreme Court had disqualified Tareen for life from holding any public office. "Despite that he is so influential and de facto ruler rather de facto deputy PM in the Imran Khan's government. He openly controls Ministry of Food Security in Islamabad and Agriculture and Food Departments in Punjab," Asad maintained.
He added that besides that he had full control over the affairs of the Punjab government. "After having been disqualified by the Supreme Court, he formally and legally holds no public office nor has any portfolio of any political party, but he attends cabinet meetings and had faced criticism on this subject," read the petition.
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