Islamabad, October 28, 2022 (PPI-OT): Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar presided over the meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, today. Federal Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar, Federal Minister for Power Mr. Khurram Dastgir Khan, Federal Minister for Industries and Production Makhdoom Syed Murtaza Mehmood, Minister of State for Petroleum Mr. Musadik Masood Malik, SAPM on Finance Mr. Tariq Bajwa, Federal Secretaries and senior officers attended the meeting.
Ministry of Commerce presented a summary on suspension of import conditions contained in Import Policy 2022 with regard to import of Timber/Wood. It was informed that all Pakistan Timber Traders Association (APTTA) requested for extension in the date of implementation of conditions of import permit. The Federal government subsequently suspended the operation of Import Policy provisions till 31st August, 2022. APTTA has again approached with same request to support the wood business sector.
In order to facilitate the import of wood/timber, the ECC directed Department of Plant Protection (DPP) of Ministry of National Food Security and Research to review the conditions for import of wood and timber and to bring them in conformity with the international best practices so that the import of wood and timber will not be subjected to unnecessary and cumbersome procedures.
However, to address the immediate concerns of the wood/timber industry, the ECC approved the proposal to suspend the date of implementation of IPO 2022 regarding import of timber and wood till 31st March, 2023. The ECC approved summary presented by Ministry of Industries and Production and allowed TCP to proceed ahead with the lowest subject offer received @ US$ 520/MT for import of 300,000 MT of Urea Fertilizer. TCP floated international tender in this regard on Oct 19, 2022 and same was opened on Oct 26, 2022. Three bidders offered rates.
Lowest responsive bid was @ US$ 520 PMT for 300,000 MT. Ministry of National Food Security and Research tabled a summary regarding permission for the import of 0.80 MMT of wheat through TCP. It was submitted that ECC on 09-05-2022 allowed TCP to import 3 MMT of wheat and directed to devise import modalities.
Modalities were devised and TCP was allowed to import 1.00 MMT of specified milling wheat through international tendering process. Later, public wheat stocks were re-verified by Committee and reported that actual shortfall would be 2.60 MMT, instead of 3 MMT.
Therefore, TCP was allowed to import only 0.80 MMT through open tendering as well as through G2G basis out of remaining 1.60 MMT on 06-09-2022. In view of aforementioned, the ECC approved the proposal and allowed TCP to arrange import of the remaining quantity of 0.80 MMT through open tendering or through G2G arrangement, before harvesting of the new crop.
Further ECC directed the concerned Ministry to frame and submit a logistic plan within 15 days. Ministry of National Food Security and Research submitted another summary regarding request of Food Departments Government of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan for additional supply of imported Wheat from PASSCO’s stock.
It was presented that Ministry of National Food Security and Research prepares a list of allocations of the recipient agencies at the start of each food year and simultaneously local and imported wheat is supplied. However, provinces have demanded additional supply of imported wheat from PASSCO’s stock.
Considering the urgent demand of Provincial Food Departments of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan and subject to the approval of respective provincial cabinets, the ECC granted permission to provide 1.00 MMT of imported wheat from PASSCO’s stock to Punjab (0.50 MMT), Sindh (0.30 MMT) and KPK (0.20MMT) with full cost and incidentals of PASSCO. Further, 0.04 MMT of local and imported wheat @ 50:50 ratio with full cost and incidentals of PASSCO may be provided to Baluchistan.
The ECC also discussed in details another summary of Ministry of National Food Security and Research regarding urgent advice related to award of 6th International Wheat Tender-2022 opened on 26th October, 2022 for 500,000 MT. Keeping in view results of 6th International Tender, the ECC approved the lowest bid offered @ US$ 373.00/MT for 380,000 MT on CFR bulk at Karachi. The ECC also approved technical Supplementary grant of amount Rs. 333.915 million in current financial year 2022-23 in favour of Interior Ministry enabling Frontier Constabulary to establish anti-riot unit comprising of 2000 personnel.
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