Islamabad : With deepening of wheat crisis with each passing day, the government of the Punjab is being accused of trigging the grain crisis through its poor governance .
An SoS of the Southern Punjab flour industry is another addition to the on-going criticism on the Punjab government ‘s policies tailored to govern the agriculture sector. In its SoS , addressed to the president of Pakistan , prime minister , Chief of Defence Forces , Chief Minister Punjab , a group of Southern Flour Millers has raised serious questions on what it said “Non-transparent wheat release quota policy” 2026.
According to the SoS, the Punjab Food Department was following a ‘Pick and choose’ policy to favour some selected flour mills rather than following a ‘Transparent ‘ procedure to release wheat to all flour mills as was a practice in the past.
One of the aggrieved millers told NEWSMAN that the Punjab Food Department has left out entire flour industry of the Southern Punjab which itself speaks of the facts that the Punjab Food Department was following an illegal and selective approach to give benefits of billions of rupees to some selective mills rather than following a legal and fair mechanism to release wheat quota to all flour mills including those which are functioning in the Southern Punjab. The aggrieved miller claimed that some mills in Lahore and some other districts of the central Punjab were being released wheat quota more than their grinding capacity.
Since the Southern wheat flour millers have levelled serious allegations in their SoS, this correspondent forwarded the SoS of Southern Punjab Flour Millers to DG Food Punjab , Amjad Hafeez , for his comments . He responded to the arguments of the Southern Punjab Flour Millers and initially claimed that the flour mills in Southern Punjab were non-functional and then in the next comment negated his first stance and said all flour mills in the Southern Punjab were not non-functional . He , however , claimed that it was the provincial government ‘s prerogative to issue wheat quota to any flour mill. He also denied that the Punjab Food Department was following a ‘Non-transparent’ policy in the release of wheat quota to flour mills.
He asked NEWSMAN to refer any mill, which as claimed in the SoS , was being released wheat quota more than its grinding capacity.
Amjad Hafeez seems extraordinary active bureaucrat in the Punjab government right now. He is holding three key positions in the Maryam Nawaz rule. At one time , he is holding the office of DG Food Punjab , Head of CM Monitoring Committee Punjab and Cane Commissioner Punjab .
Asked why he sits at 5 Club Road Lahore rather than officiating at his three public offices , Amjad Hafeez said ” [7/17, 11:25 AM] Bhai I have charge of DG Food/Cane Commissioner which is one office and head CM’s Special Monitoring unit. Both have separate offices as well as field job. Right now I am visiting Okara checking flour supply and also two health facilities as head SMU”. CM special Monitoring unit is based at 5 Club”.
Amjad Hafeez’s explanation may be justifiable at least as long as he is holding these three key offices in the Punjab government . But the facts remain that a majority of the flour millers in the Punjab is raising serious questions over the wheat release quota. The aggrieved flour millers are demanding thorough investigations into wheat release policy 2026 to end what they claim “Favouritism” and “Non-transparency”.
