Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has sharply criticized the government over its handling of the agricultural sector and broader economic policies, alleging that the country is facing a deepening wheat crisis and that farmers are being financially crippled. In a statement issued on Monday, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram accused the government of driving the economy to a "grinding halt" and leaving the country's "agricultural backbone in deep distress."
Coverage Comparison
The criticism was reported by Dawn, which covered the statement in two separate articles. Both reports quote Akram's remarks extensively, though they emphasize different aspects of his statement. One report focuses on the wheat crisis and the challenges faced by farmers, including pricing uncertainty and procurement failures. The other highlights Akram's broader allegations of an "unprecedented economic and governance crisis" that has "crushed the common man."
Both articles attribute the claims directly to Akram, with no independent verification of the statistics or policy details he cited. The tone in both reports is critical, reflecting the confrontational nature of the statement itself.
Key Claims
Akram alleged that the wheat crisis is being exacerbated by several government actions. He said there is uncertainty in wheat pricing and that the government's procurement arrangements are flawed, with middlemen dominating markets and gunny bags in short supply. He also criticized the Punjab government's decision to adopt a new wheat purchase model involving 11 private companies, which he said have been given extraordinary facilitation, including access to government warehouses and subsidized bank financing.
He further claimed that the announced support price of Rs3,500 per maund does not reflect the actual cost of production. According to Akram, the per-acre cost of wheat cultivation has risen to nearly Rs210,000 due to increases in fertilizer, seeds, pesticides, and other inputs. With an average yield of 45 maunds per acre, he said farmers could recover only around Rs150,000, resulting in a direct loss of approximately Rs60,000 per acre.
Beyond agriculture, Akram accused the government of presiding over a sharp resurgence in inflation. He cited a Consumer Price Index rise of 11 percent year-on-year and a 15 percent increase in the Sensitive Price Indicator. He also claimed that petrol and diesel prices are nearing Rs400 per litre and that electricity tariffs have reached Rs60–80 per unit, while food costs, including flour and roti, have risen markedly.
Akram called the Punjab government's ban on inter-provincial wheat movement a "blatant violation" of Article 151 of the Constitution. He also alleged that food imports have surged by $2 billion and that Pakistan now ranks among the 10 most food-insecure countries in the world, with 11 million citizens at risk of extreme hunger.
Perspectives
Akram's statements represent the opposition PTI's viewpoint, which has consistently opposed the current government, led by the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), and its policies. His remarks carry strong political overtones, including personal attacks on the Punjab chief minister and the prime minister, whom he described as "enslaved to the Takht-e-Lahore." The PTI leader also dismissed the government's claims of economic stability as a "cruel joke" and labeled its policies as "fiscal surrender and economic strangulation."
The government has not yet responded to these allegations. The claims regarding inflation, procurement practices, and constitutional violations are based solely on Akram's statement and have not been independently verified. As with most political statements, the figures cited may be contested, and the broader context of Pakistan's economic challenges — including prior government initiatives and external factors — should be considered when assessing these criticisms.