Pakistan’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has intervened to block the government from exporting sugar and importing wheat, freezing a major decision made by the Sugar Advisory Board.
Despite approval from the advisory board—chaired by Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain—to export 200,000 tonnes of surplus sugar, the parliamentary committee ruled that no exports can move forward without its final recommendations. The minister had stated that the export clearance was contingent on stable local supplies, continuous price monitoring, and prompt clearance of dues owed to sugarcane farmers by mill owners.
Key Parliamentary Interventions
- Sugar Export Freeze: Overruled the Sugar Advisory Board’s clearance to export 200,000 tonnes, citing the need for independent oversight to safeguard domestic availability.
- Wheat Import Ban: Barred planned wheat imports until the Ministry of National Food Security and Research delivers a detailed briefing and the PAC submits recommendations directly to the Prime Minister later this month.
Investigating the Wheat Procurement Crisis
The PAC’s directives follow a report from the Auditor General of Pakistan highlighting the failure of the 2024–25 wheat procurement policy. The report criticized the Punjab government’s decision to bypass its usual 4 MMT wheat procurement at the official support price of Rs 3,900 per 40kg, leaving growers financially strained and raising long-term food security concerns. The PAC has ordered a thorough inquiry into the decision-making behind April 2024’s closing stocks and mandated a full briefing from the food ministry within a week.
