Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has urged the federal government to lift 5,00,000 tons of wheat from Sindh for export and wave off the condition of $4500 subsidy on each ton.
He said this while talking to Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah who called on him at CM House on Saturday. He said the federal government was lifting 8,00,000 tons of wheat of Punjab for export and 4,00,000 tons of Sindh. “This is not fair and an injustice to Sindh,” he added.
Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Shah told the chief minister that he had taken up the Sindh case with Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. “Now I would talk to him again and convince him to lift 1,00,000 tons of more wheat from Sindh. I’m sure he would oblige,” he assured the chief minister.
The chief minister said that new procurement season was approaching fast. “Around one million tons of wheat is lying in our godowns. How we would procure fresh crop?” he questioned.
He said the federal government without taking Sindh government into confidence allowed import of wheat; as a result the stocks kept lying in their godowns. “Since the federal government has caused us loss, therefore, in principal it should pay subsidy from its own account,” he said.
It may be noted that the federal government has decided to lift 400,000 tons of wheat from Sindh against the payment of $4500 subsidy on each ton.