Federal Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan has accused the Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan-led cabinet of “only listening to businessmen” while paying no heed to its own members.

As per the details, the minister attacked his own government during a meeting of the National Assembly’s Special Committee on Agriculture. He, however, wasn’t the only one expressing concerns as Fehmida Mirza also pointed out high prices of agricultural inputs and low rate of output.

Expressing his dissatisfaction with the government’s policies, Sarwar, the aviation minister said that within the past two and a half they had not been able to do anything for the agricultural sector. Mirza, the inter-provincial coordination minister, said that no relief had been given to growers.

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However, Finance Minister Hammad Azhar and Food Security Minister Fakhar Imam defended the government policies.

According to The Express Tribune, Azhar said that the price of DAP fertiliser had been increased because of the hike in international price, adding that increasing support price of wheat would affect the flour price.

The meeting was chaired by National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, which was also attended by Usman Dar, Shandana Gulzar and others. Gulzar informed the committee that the government would initiate ‘Kamyab Kisan’ programme.

“We could not give any relief to the agricultural sector. The government gave relief to industry and services but not to agriculture. The voice of the people for sectors other than agricultural is more powerful,” Sarwar lamented.

“We are importing wheat but the government is not ready to give anything to its own growers. Imported wheat costs Rs2,400 [pre 40 kilogrammes] but we’re are giving Rs1,800 to the growers [in the shape of support price],” he told the committee.

After the meeting, Qaiser said that the stance of Ghulam Sarwar in the meeting was his personal viewpoint.