Govt pledges wheat support to provinces, crackdown on fuel hoarding

July 17, 2026 (MLN): The federal government said it would draw on PASSCO reserves to meet any additional wheat requirements of the provinces, while also directing strict action against hoarding and profiteering by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and petrol pumps ahead of the sowing season.

The directives were issued at a high-level meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema to review the country's wheat demand-supply position and the availability of petroleum products, said a press release issued.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain, Secretary National Food Security Amir Ali Ahmad, Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman, Chief Secretary Sindh Asif Hyder Shah, Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shahab Ali Shahab, Adviser to CM KP Muzammil Aslam, Chairperson OGRA Nabeel Ahmad Awan, the Sindh Food Minister, and other senior officials.

Reviewing wheat production, existing stocks, and the overall supply position, the Chief Secretaries told the meeting that the demand-supply situation in their respective provinces remained normal, though they flagged that additional wheat from the federal government may be needed going forward to ensure uninterrupted availability.

Ahad Cheema said the federal government would make every effort to fulfill provincial wheat requirements from PASSCO stocks, adding that safeguarding the interests of the public and farmers alike remained the government's foremost priority.

He said all decisions on wheat management would factor in domestic production, market conditions, and farmer welfare.

He directed relevant authorities to maintain strict vigilance against hoarding and market manipulation to ensure adequate wheat availability ahead of the sowing season.

Rana Tanveer Hussain said PASSCO would extend full support to provincial governments to ensure smooth wheat management and availability.

Ahad Cheema directed all stakeholders to maintain close coordination and continuously monitor the situation to enable timely decisions on food security, market stability, and protection of farmers' interests.

On the fuel front, the meeting reviewed the availability of petroleum products amid concerns over hoarding by certain OMCs.

Ahad Cheema and the Secretary Establishment urged provincial Chief Secretaries to take immediate action against petrol pumps and OMCs found hoarding fuel or exploiting the regional situation for undue profiteering.

The Chief Secretaries assured the meeting that their administrations would coordinate closely with OGRA's designated officials to curb hoarding and ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies.

Ahad Cheema said Pakistan held sufficient stocks of petroleum products and faced no fuel shortage, making clear that no OMC or petrol pump would be allowed to create an artificial shortage for profiteering.

While the government had no intention of harassing legitimate businesses, he said, strict legal action would be taken against anyone involved in hoarding, profiteering, or disrupting the supply of essential commodities.

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