Islamabad : The policy makers’ indifference towards implementing a Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) mandatory SRO for using food-grade polypropylene bags for handling of wheat flour is costing Pakistan Rs 100 billion annually . The use of food-grade recyclable polypropylene bags was made mandatory by PSQCA way back in 2017 to make sure that wheat flour does not go waste .
Iskander M Khan, Pakistan Polypropylene Woven Sacks Manufacturing Association PWSMA) chairman , had strived for years to make PSQCA realize that the use of low quality cotton bags was resulting in waste of wheat flour valuing billions of rupees every year. Iskander M. Khan ‘s untiring efforts did work and PSQCA finally issued a mandatory SRO in 2017 to ban low quality cotton bags for packing and handling of wheat flour , but despite lapse of full nine years , this very crucial PSQCA’s mandatory SRO is yet to be implemented .
Wastage of wheat flour amounting to Rs 100 billion annually in a country like Pakistan where one of every four Pakistanis is facing acute hunger and hardly making one meal a day is a big crime. Wheat flour of billions of rupees which is going waste just in handling as the decision-makers are not serious in implementing PSQCA ‘ mandatory SRO could save lives of millions who are fighting against acute hunger in Pakistan.
The decision-makers, who should have acted to implement PSQCA’s mandatory SRO without any delay , seem totally indifference towards this otherwise life-saving issue.
Iskander M. Khan is pursuing all options to make the decision-makers realise that their seriousness in implementing PSQCA ‘s mandatory SRO to make sure that wheat flour is packed and handled in food grain recyclable propylene bags is of extraordinary significance and a great service to this country. For years , Mr Khan is holding meetings with the concerned top officials to press them to order immediate implementation of PSQCA SRO and replace poor quality cotton bags with food grain polypropylene bags to stop waste of more wheat flour (Atta).
Iskander M. Khan was preparing a letter to address National Food Security minister , Rana Tanveer Hussain, on this issue when this correspondent entered in his office on Monday last. While fine tuning the letter for Rana Tanveer Hussain, he spoke to this correspondent on the issue. He said ” I ‘m running from pillar – to – post for the last 9 years to get implemented PSQCA ‘ s mandatory SRO for making the use of food grade polypropylene bags mandatory for packing of wheat flour to stop its waste amounting to hundreds of billions every year and my struggle is yet to see positive outcome”, adding “This is unfortunate a decision of saving hundred billions every year should have come into force without any delay after issuance of PSQCA SRO as Atta that is going down the drain every year could be a source of food for millions who are facing acute hunger”.
Mr Khan is a different person . He does not believe in leaving his task unaccomplished and so he is looking for all options to get implemented mandatory PSQCA SRO no matter how long he has to put in his struggle. In this case he is pushing the decision-makers to get this mandatory SRO implanted on one hand and at the same time he is knocking at the doors of the court of law to get PSQCA mandatory SRO implemented . Referring to his fight on legal front , Mr Khan said ” IHC is hearing this case on Jan 14 (tomorrow ) and he is hopeful of positive orders from the court as its a case of national interest and as if waste of wheat flour ends up the same Atta could be a source of food for millions hit by acute hunger and poverty in Pakistan.