ISLAMABAD (Pakistan Point News / Online - 19th January, 2020) The unprecedented hike in the price of wheat flour across the country and its acute shortage in several cities has brought severe hardship for the general public.In Lahore, people are forced to buy flour at highest-ever price of up to Rs70 per kg, and the growers are holding the flour mill owners and the government responsible for the "Aatta crisis".In Faisalabad, the flour prices have skyrocketed with an increase of up to Rs30 per kg as wheat supply to mills has been suspended.
Meanwhile, the nanbais of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have announced that they will go on a strike from tomorrow (Monday) against the government, while their other associations in Punjab have given an ultimatum to the government asking it to provide them flour at the previous rate or they would raise the prices of naan and roti.Shockingly, Provincial Minister of Punjab for Food Sami Ullah Chaudhary has denied reports of wheat flour shortage in Punjab by stating that "wheat flour at the official rate of Rs805 per 20kg is available".
"We are ready for cooperation with Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [�] Punjab should not be punished for someone else's incompetence."On the other hand, the provincial food department and the district administration of Lahore have jointly formed a plan to provide "relief" to the public of the city amid the prevailing crisis, and have supplied 10,000 bags of wheat flour to ten model markets.Taking notice of the �uncontrolled' surge in prices and prevent crisis, Prime Minister Imran Khan ordered a stern and immediate nationwide crackdown against hoarders and profiteers, and directed the concerned officials to effective steps for stabilising the prices."Profiteers won't be forgiven," the premier is reported to have said, while ordering arrests of persons involved in illegal hike of wheat flour prices.
