The wheat crisis in Punjab has placed the blame squarely on PML-N (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz), leaving them unable to evade responsibility. Simply shifting blame onto the interim government for importing three million tonnes of wheat unnecessarily and then halving the procurement target due to expected carryover fails to convince anyone, especially the affected farmers. It’s widely known that the caretaker chief minister was appointed with their backing.
To exacerbate the situation, authorities are now clamping down on protesters, accusing them of advancing a political agenda, while simultaneously delaying procurement, exacerbating the plight of farmers. Consequently, Punjab, the nation’s breadbasket, is now paralyzed, with the supply of its staple food at risk.
The agricultural community comprises the largest number of families in the country, making the mishandling of this demographic not just a policy failure but also a glaring political misstep.
It’s no surprise that opposition parties in the province have aligned with protesting farmers, while even members of the ruling party struggle to justify their government’s actions to their constituents, especially given the pledges made during the election campaign.
Attempting to appease farmers with promises of subsidies is unlikely to sway them, given the government’s track record. Thus, the administration finds itself entangled in self-inflicted errors early in its tenure.
The Punjab government must refrain from politicizing these protests and acknowledge its missteps. Addressing the concerns of all stakeholders is imperative to prevent further erosion of the government’s credibility, particularly among the very farmers who are traditionally courted for electoral support.
With inflation and unemployment already burdening the populace, the last thing they need is additional incompetence or political vendettas exacerbating their woes.
The public deserves transparency regarding the root causes of the crisis. Why was wheat imported unnecessarily? Why was the procurement target abruptly reduced without prior notice? Why switch to an online procurement system without considering the tech literacy of rural populations? And why are protesting farmers being treated like criminals?
The Punjab government must confront and resolve this crisis promptly, rather than exacerbating it through inadequate responses. Reports of caretakers facing legal consequences over excessive wheat imports only compound the urgency of addressing the situation effectively
, leaving them unable to evade responsibility.){kind=link}