LAHORE   -   Consensus emerged in the Punjab Assembly on Thursday to review the government’s wheat procurement policy as the Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan formed a ministerial committee to take up the issue with the government.The speaker announced this decision after the treasury and opposition members expressed reservations over the government’s policy of procuring wheat only from the growers with six acres of land. Minister for Food Bilal Yasin, however, defended the government stating that 1.5 million requests have been received from farmers on farmers’ app and wheat will be purchased from them according to the policy. Opposition members questioned as to why the government was only buying wheat from farmers with six acres of land leaving others in distress. The speaker formed a committee comprising Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman and Food Minister Bilal Yasin to address the issues relating to wheat procurement.  During the session chaired by Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, Minister for Food Bilal Yasin failed to assure the Assembly about the effectiveness of government’s wheat procurement policy. The Treasury and the opposition members, however, reached a consensus on farmers’ issues, demanding a briefing on the policy from the chief minister. They voiced concerns about the impact of the policy to buy wheat only from the farmer with six acres of land. They also raised the issue of wheat import by the caretaker government and demanded a fair investigation. The Speaker also emphasized the need for thorough investigations into why the wheat was imported by the caretaker government. Food Minister Bilal Yasin assured that farmers will not be left alone, mentioning the receipt of 1.5 million requests on the farmer’s app for wheat purchase. Hafiz Farhat Abbas stated that the government’s announcement to buy only 7.5 million metric tons of wheat was not enough while Rana Shahbaz suggested boycotting Friday’s session. He stated that if lack of money was the issue, the government should purchase wheat on deferred payments. Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan concluded the discussion by announcing the rejection of the current policy to buy wheat from small farmers. Yasin. The session was adjourned until Friday morning after completion of the day’s agenda. In a related development, Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Mohammad Ahmad Khan met with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to take up the issue of wheat procurement. Provincial ministers Bilal Yasin, Khawaja Salman Rafique, Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani and Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman also accompanied him. The Assembly speaker reportedly apprised the chief minister about the concern expressed by the Assembly members over the difficulties being faced by the farmers in obtaining bardana and sale of their produce at the fixed rate.