The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of Pakistan has approved the auction of 500,000 metric tons of wheat held by the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco) to clear bank liabilities and employee dues, as reported by Profit by Pakistan Today. This decision comes as Passco has been holding onto imported wheat since 2022, incurring billions in interest, storage, and handling costs. The Ministry of National Food Security and Research highlighted that the expected date for awarding the contract is February 15, with wheat lifting by March 15. The ministry estimated a financial loss between Rs13 billion and Rs22.11 billion from the disposal, but noted that the annual carrying cost exceeds Rs11 billion, making early disposal financially prudent. As of April 1, 2025, Passco held 2.448 million metric tons of wheat, with 1.988 million tons available for disposal after allocations to Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. The ECC directed the ministry to share progress by the end of February and agreed to review the situation after assessing auction results and market conditions (Profit by Pakistan Today, Tribune Home).