Islamabad

The Pakistan government will take a decision to import food items from India after consulting its coalition partners and key stakeholders, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said on Wednesday.

The country is facing a shortage of vegetables and other food items after devastating floods destroyed crops, increasing their prices to unimaginable levels.

The traders have also demanded the government allow imports from The Attari-Wagah border to address the shortage issue.

Miftah Ismail posted his response on Twitter:

More than one international agency has approached the govt to allow them to bring food items from India through the land border. The govt will take the decision to allow imports or not based on supply shortage position, after consulting its coalition partners & key stakeholders

— Miftah Ismail (@MiftahIsmail) August 31, 2022

However, in the meantime, the Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday decided to import onions and tomatoes from Afghanistan and Iran to control soaring prices in the country.

Ismail said that more than one international agency has approached the government to allow them to bring food items from India through the land border.

"The govt will take the decision to allow imports or not based on supply shortage position, after consulting its coalition partners and key stakeholders," he said.

On Tuesday, the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) urged the government to permit vegetable import from India through the Wagah border.

ALSO READ: Pak Minister warns of acute food shortage amid grim flood situation

 "The recent floods have destroyed crops of tomato, onion, potato and other vegetables across the country," LCCI president Nauman Kabir said, adding that the crisis is expected to prevail for the next three months.