A high level meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s House, Islamabad, on Wednesday, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, in which the provision of food items to the Gulf countries and Pakistan’s ports and maritime operations were reviewed in the context of the current regional situation.
In the meeting, the Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with the strategy prepared for the provision of food items to the Gulf countries and the progress made so far and appreciated the performance of the relevant departments and officers.
The Prime Minister directed that all relevant departments should remain in close contact for the food needs of the Gulf countries.
Faster food shipments to Gulf countries
Despite the current disruptions in the global supply line, it is Pakistan’s responsibility to meet the food needs of the Gulf countries.
According to the details, a special committee has approved about 40 food items for export.
These include rice, edible oil, sugar, meat, poultry, powdered milk, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables.
Exports will be sent by sea and air, and the government has waived extra charges on perishable goods to make them more competitive in Gulf markets.
The meeting was told that a database of exporters to Gulf countries has been created.
Business to business meetings and webinars are also ongoing to strengthen trade links and make sure of timely supply based on demand.
The prime minister said it is Pakistan’s responsibility to help friendly countries while protecting its own food security.
He also asked authorities to closely monitor domestic demand and supply to avoid shortages or price increases.
He further instructed that flight operations at major hubs, including Karachi and Gwadar, be increased to handle more cargo.
Port operations should also be streamlined to reduce delays. He also warned that any bureaucratic delays would not be tolerated and promised strict accountability.
