Every year, the government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) purchases 300,000 tons of wheat, which costs approximately Rs. 32.25 billion. However, in the new budget, Rs. 41 billion has been allocated for wheat, raising concerns from senior journalist Zulfiqar Ali.
Sharing his investigative report, Zulfiqar Ali has raised some critical questions. He asks, if Rs. 32.25 billion was sufficient in previous years, why has the budget been increased to Rs. 41 billion? This reflects an increase of Rs. 8.75 billion. The key question now is: where will this additional amount be spent? Will wheat prices increase, or is there some other project for which these funds are reserved? The public is already struggling with inflation, and if wheat becomes more expensive, it will further burden them. The journalist urges the government to clarify the purpose of these extra funds.
The wheat procurement process in AJK works as follows: the government purchases wheat from PASCO, the organization responsible for selling both locally produced and imported wheat. International market fluctuations also impact wheat prices. Additionally, wheat procurement costs include not only the price of wheat but also transportation costs, interest on loans PASCO takes from banks, and milling expenses.
It is important to note that in the 2024-25 budget documents submitted by the AJK government to the Government of Pakistan, Rs. 41 billion has been mentioned for wheat, which is a significant increase compared to previous years.