The Sindh government has decided to take strict action against wheat hoarders across the province, and it would seek assistance from other institutions, including police, in this regard.
Senior Information and Transport & Mass Transit Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said at a press conference on Tuesday that during a lengthy cabinet meeting, directives were issued to take indiscriminate action against hoarders to stabilise flour prices.
Memon said Sindh and Punjab witness bumper wheat crops, but hoarders attempt to create an artificial shortage by purchasing wheat in large quantities from farmers. As a result, the cabinet has decided to seal the warehouses of hoarders, and launch a crackdown against them.
He said the cabinet has decided to introduce an integrated weight management system in the food department, involve the Sindh Information Technology Company (SITC) in the project, and give the SITC a month to conduct a detailed review. A committee comprising the food, agriculture and law secretaries has been formed to review the National Wheat Policy 2026-2030, and directed to present its recommendations to the cabinet within the stipulated period, he added. He also said the cabinet has supported conditional deregulation and phased trade liberalisation in the sugar sector, but it has been decided not to allow the establishment of new sugar mills.
Instructions have also been issued to retain the province’s regulatory powers over the sugar sector; protect the interests of farmers, consumers and the environment; ensure effective provincial representation in the relevant commission; and direct the agriculture department to contact the federal government to formally convey the cabinet’s decision, he added.
Memon said that an agreement between the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and the Aga Khan University (AKU) for the promotion of inclusive education has been approved.
Measures including the establishment of a special education unit at AKU, specialised teacher training, research, policymaking, model schools, the development of modern educational resources, and government financial assistance for the project have also been approved. He said the cabinet has decided to strengthen the fisheries system for monitoring the coastal belt and to ensure the effective implementation of the law.
Approval has been given to rename the Marine Conservation Police as the Sindh Fisheries Service, and approval has also been sought for the purchase of three modern speedboats for coastal surveillance.
Food Minister Makhdoom Mehboobuz Zaman said on the occasion that wheat procurement has been carried out transparently and fairly, and that Sindh has achieved a rich and record wheat crop this year.
Agriculture Minister Muhammad Bakhsh Mehar said climate change has severely affected the agricultural sector, causing significant losses to farmers and agriculture. He said water scarcity has become a major challenge, with fears of further shortages in the future. The government is taking various steps to improve the use and conservation of water to address the issue, he added.
Minister Muhammad Ali Malkani said the government has decided to strengthen the fisheries system for effective monitoring of the coastal belt, and the enforcement of the law. Action has been taken against those engaged in fishing without a licence, he added.
Replying to questions from the media, Memon said that the livelihood of the majority of the province’s population is linked to agriculture and livestock, while Sindh is facing severe water shortages.
The Modi government in India is openly violating the Indus Waters Treaty and is attempting to avenge its defeat by breaching the agreement, he added. He said PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari effectively presented the case of the Indus River and Pakistan at the international level, adding that the Indus Waters Treaty is irrevocable. He demanded that the 1991 Water Accord be implemented in its true spirit.
He also said that no complaint has been received about the disappearance of wheat from Sindh. He stressed that if the MQM is truly serious, it should withdraw from the federal ministries, and launch actual protests over the issues of water, gas and electricity in Sindh. Memon said that announcing separation from the federal cabinet should not remain merely a statement but must be followed through by practical action by the MQM.
He said the labour minister had identified corruption and irregularities in his department, after which immediate action was taken. Illegal advance payments had been made in the Yellow Line project, he added.
