Balochistan Cabinet Decides Not to Procure Wheat Amid Storage Constraints and Price Adjustments

Quetta: The Balochistan government has decided not to purchase wheat this season due to existing stockpiles and lack of storage space, according to the latest cabinet meeting.
The cabinet also approved a reduction in the official selling price of wheat. The price of a 100-kg wheat bag has been reduced from Rs 5,500 to Rs 4,500, reflecting the decline in market prices.
During the meeting, Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti questioned why the wheat had not been sold despite the cabinet’s earlier approval. Food Minister Noor Muhammad Dummar explained that the minutes of the previous cabinet meeting were only issued on April 4, which caused a delay.
The Chief Minister, however, criticized the delay, asking why officials waited for the formal issuance of minutes when the cabinet had already made a decision. He also expressed anger over interference from the district administration and Anti-Corruption Department.
Minister Dummar revealed that the Food Department had begun selling wheat prior to the formal issuance of minutes, but an assistant commissioner raided the operation. Subsequently, Anti-Corruption authorities arrested Food Department officials, further delaying the wheat sale.
CM Bugti condemned the arrests, questioning the authority of Anti-Corruption to act against officials when a cabinet decision was already in place. He instructed the Chief Secretary to immediately seek a report from the Secretary of Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) regarding the incident.