Peshawar: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to buy 0.3 million metric tons of wheat worth Rs29 billion from the farmers.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Minister Zahir Shah Toro said that the wheat procurement campaign will be started from May 7. Wheat procurement app has been introduced, payment will be made to farmers through the bank within 24 hours.

Zahir Shah Toro stated that he would ensure transparency in the wheat procurement campaign.

On the other hand, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari says that the Punjab government will also buy wheat from farmers, but it has not yet been decided how much wheat will be bought.

It is pertinent to note that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had formed an inquiry committee after taking notice of the issue of wheat being imported in large quantities, the report of which will be submitted today.

Islamabad: Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb Monday said that stability has come in the country due to the best economic policies.

Addressing the event in Islamabad, he stated that Pakistan is now following a policy of implementation, ‘We have to widen our tax base for this purpose and solve difficult energy problems. This is the second important part of the reform agenda and third is the reform of public institutions’.

Muhammad Aurangzeb added that the government's job is not to run business, we will complete the privatization agenda quickly, and hope that by the end of June or July we will be in the last phase of this work.

The federal minister continued to say: “We are going into the 24th International Monetary Fund (IMF) program. To make sure that this is our last program, we must have a clear view of the road to market. Firstly growth in exports and secondly Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is essential and in this, you will help us and access to international capital markets is also very important for this. If we get it done, we won't need to go to another funding program”.

He further said that the private sector has to run this country, the government is determined in this matter, we will work in this regard, the private sector should sit in the front and the ministers should sit in the back.

The foreign exchange reserves are gradually increasing in the country, we are trying to promote foreign investment, Pakistan's currency has been stable for 10 months, added Auarngzeb.

Washington: The US media has claimed that for the first time since October 7, the United States has stopped the shipment of arms to Israel after protests across the country.

According to an Arab media report, two Israeli officials have revealed that the administration of US President Joe Biden suspended the shipment of ammunition to Israel last week.

The move has caused serious concern within the Israeli government and officials have been forced to try to find out why, officials said.

In February 2024, the Biden administration asked Israel to provide guarantees that US weapons were being used in Gaza in accordance with international law, a guarantee Tel Aviv provided in March.

On the other hand, the White House has also refused to comment in this regard. The American website also reported that the Biden administration is deeply concerned that Israel will attack Rafah, the southernmost city of Gaza. About 1.1 million people have taken refuge in Rafah from other areas of the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated tension with the US administration in a statement on Sunday.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu said that whether there is a ceasefire agreement with Hamas or not, the Israeli army will launch a ground attack on Rafah in any case. The idea that we will stop a war before it achieves all its goals is unthinkable.

It is pertinent to note that many international and aid organizations led by the United States, as well as most Western countries, have expressed their concern about a possible attack on Rafah.

In addition, the United Nations has repeatedly stated that there is no safe place in the entire strip for the people of Rafah to seek refuge.

Notably, the US House of Representatives approved the emergency aid bill for Israel last month, according to which 26 billion dollars were to be provided to Israel. According to Israeli media, the US aid included 14 billion dollars in military aid.

More than 34,000 Palestinians have been martyred in the Gaza Strip as a result of Israeli brutality since October 7, most of them are children and women.