LAHORE: Farmers have rejected the suspension of 4 officers within the wheat import scandal terming it an inadequate step taken to guard the true culprits.
On the advice of an inquiry committee tasked with investigating the import of wheat near the native crop harvest time Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordecrimson suspension of 4 officers — former Nationwide Meals Security secretary Muhammad Asif, former DG of Meals Protection A.D. Abid, Nationwide Meals Security Commissioner Dr Waseem and Director Suhail.
“The federal cupboard’s resolution to droop 4 Meals Safety officers concerned within the wheat scandal is inadequate. We consider that these officers are being made scapegoats to guard the true culprits,” Pakistan Kisan Rabita Committee (PKRC) common secretary Farooq Tariq mentioned.
“They’re attempting to cowl up the scandal by punishing just a few junior officers,” he added.
The investigative committee has already given a clear chit to the caretaker authorities by appointing Kamran Ali Afzal because the chairman of the panel whereas he himself was the secretary of caretaker prime minister Anwarul Haq’s cupboard, he identified.
“How can a federal secretary examine his former boss?” he questioned.
“The wheat scandal has been lined up, and the true culprits who made this key financial resolution are being protected. They’re the caretaker authorities and its ministers who allowed grain import and gave a free hand to the capitalist corporations to plunder the native financial system.”
He mentioned that 60 corporations have made big cash by means of the wheat scandal, whereas most farmers are nonetheless unable to promote their wheat at authorities charges of Rs3,900 per 40 kg and are being compelled to promote at decrease costs.
Mr Tariq warned that if the federal government doesn’t begin wheat procurement and take motion towards the true culprits of the wheat scandal, the PKRC would invite farmers from throughout the nation for protests in Lahore and Islamabad.
“We won’t let the federal government defend the true culprits and punish the junior officers,” he mentioned.
The PKRC has demanded the structure of a fee comprising farmers’ leaders to analyze the wheat scandal and establish the true culprits, he added.
Printed in Daybreak, Could twenty third, 2024