KP CM aide criticises Punjab govt’s wheat policy

Peshawar  –  Oct 06: Advisor to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Finance, Muzzammil Aslam, reacting to wheat imports and financial losses of state-owned enterprises, said the Punjab government’s wheat policy had first affected farmers and subsequently contributed to a flour shortage in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said the wheat policy had benefited middlemen, while the ongoing import of 750,000 tonnes of wheat would place an additional burden on the national exchequer. He said the people would ultimately have to bear the cost of wrong policies and decisions, which could directly affect the prices of flour, roti and bread. Muzzammil Aslam said the situation arising from inadequate planning in wheat policy could create further difficulties for the people.

Talking about the financial losses of state-owned enterprises, the KP CM aide said losses amounting to Rs1.3 trillion had been reported, while their total liabilities had crossed Rs10 trillion. He said federal ministers were talking about reviewing various vertical components of the National Finance Commission (NFC), but fundamental questions regarding fiscal management, governance and reforms at the federal level remained unresolved.

Muzzammil Aslam said the burden of mismanagement and failure to undertake reforms at the federal level was ultimately borne by the country and its people. He said, however, that the provinces were not facing budget deficits.

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He said that if a reset of the fiscal and administrative system was required, it should begin at the federal level. He expressed concern over fiscal management, governance and reforms at the federal level and stressed that effective measures were essential to bring about improvements in these areas.

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