KARACHI: National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security & Research that visited Port Qasim and QICT on Tuesday to physically inspect the sub-standard wheat imported from Ukraine, vowed to frame mechanism deterring import of sub-standard edible commodities.

The Committee members arrived at Customs House Port Qasim and discussed relevant issued with the Customs officers. Collector Port Qasim Suriyya Ahmed Butt, Additional Collector Saeed Akram, Assistant Collector CIU, Falik sher, Assistant collector HQ, Rehan Akram, Assistant Collector Bulk Hina, Gul were present on the occasion.

The team appreciated the work of Customs Port Qasim and then proceeded to QICT along with Customs officers and Quarantine Department officers.

QICT CEO, Sherafghan Niazi briefed the esteemed Committee members about the entire case. Manager QICT Saad Zulfikar was also along the members during the physical inspection of the commodity imported by M/s Thara International. Mohammad Tariq Khan, Deputy Director Quarantine for Department Plant Protection was also present.

The wheat was found to be fungus-infected and quite unsafe for human consumption.

Malik Shakir Bashir Awan, Chairman of the Committee, told Customnews.pk that the subject consignment of wheat was very hazardous for human consumption and added that all the relevant departments and ministries would be consulted to frame a mechanism to stop similar practices in future and the culprits could be dealt harshly.

M/s Thara International has been summoned to clarify the situation.

Standing Committee on National Food Security & Research comprises of Malik Shakir Bashir Awan (Chairman), Captain (Retd) Muhammad Safdar, Ch. Naeer Ahmed, Ch. Iftikhar Nazzir, Tahir Iqbal Ch., Dr. Hafeez-ur-Rehman Drishak, Mir Dostain Domki, Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan, Syed Iftikhar-ul-Hasan, M.s Shahnaz Saleem, Muhammad Siddique Khan Baloch, Ms. Khalida Mansoor, Abdul Sattar Bachani, Pir Shafqat Hussain Jillani, Fai Sher Muhammad Bilalani, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Junaid Akbar, Muhammad Salman Khan Baloch, Dr. Fouiza Hameed and Minister for National Food Security & Research (ex-officio member).