Azma Bokhari Denies Allegations of Wheat Transport Restrictions Across Pakistani Provinces

In a firm rebuttal to mounting criticism, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari dismissed allegations on Sunday regarding restrictions on wheat movement between provinces, calling such claims “baseless and contrary to facts.”

Her statement, reported by state-run APP news agency, comes amid escalating tensions as both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provincial governments have accused Punjab of restricting critical wheat supplies.

The controversy intensified after the KP government sent a formal letter dated October 23 to Punjab authorities, demanding the withdrawal of what they described as restrictions on inter-provincial movement of wheat and flour. The KP administration warned that these alleged curbs were disrupting supply chains, driving up prices, and threatening food security across their province.

Simultaneously, Pakistan People’s Party leadership in Sindh voiced sharp criticism against the Punjab government, specifically accusing it of limiting wheat seed supplies to their region.

Bokhari firmly rejected these allegations, explaining that inter-provincial flour transportation continues “transparently through official permits,” which she said ensures “a clear and traceable record of all consignments being transported out of the province.”

In a pointed critique of the KP administration, the Punjab minister suggested that if KP’s flour demand exceeds its production capacity, its government should either release wheat from its own storage facilities or procure supplies from the Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Services Corporation (Passco). “Punjab cannot compromise the right of its people to affordable flour for the sake of another party’s political theatrics,” she asserted.

The minister further claimed that over 200 flour mills in KP currently sit idle. She advised the province’s chief executive to “focus on reviving these mills instead of staging protests outside Adiala Jail” – an apparent reference to KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s recent sit-in outside the prison where Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan remains incarcerated.

The dispute occurs against a backdrop of policy uncertainty regarding wheat management in Pakistan. In May, the federal food minister had informed the National Assembly that Passco was slated for abolition – a policy later reversed under a national wheat policy, though procurement procedures remain contested. This national policy had stipulated there would be no restrictions on wheat movement between provinces.

Addressing constitutional frameworks, Bokhari emphasized that permits and digital monitoring have been implemented as mandatory measures to prevent hoarding and profiteering, in accordance with Article 18 of the Constitution and relevant legislation, rather than to restrict movement.

She underscored that the welfare of Punjab’s citizens remains her government’s top priority, with efforts focused on ensuring “availability and affordability of flour for every citizen.” The minister suggested that this “pro-people style of governance is what some elements find hard to digest.”

Highlighting Punjab’s preparedness, Bokhari revealed that the provincial government currently maintains wheat reserves of 0.885 million metric tons, valued at approximately Rs100 billion, which she attributed to the “farsighted and organised policies” of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

To maintain market stability, Bokhari noted that flour mills receive wheat supplies at Rs3,000 per maund (40 kilograms), aimed at ensuring consistent availability and stable prices for consumers.

The dispute underscores ongoing challenges in Pakistan’s agricultural sector, where inter-provincial tensions over essential commodities often emerge during shortage periods, complicated by political rivalries and governance issues across the country’s federal structure.