Flour Crisis Hits All Four Provinces

(@fidahassanain)

Flour crisis hits all four provinces

PM, Punjab CM take notice and order the official concerned for stern action against the hoarders while Opposition leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif demanded inquiry into the matter as to why there was shortage in wheat flour.

LAHORE: (Urdu Point/Pakistan Point News-Jan 20th, 2020) The public faced trouble due to unprecedented hike in the price of wheat flour and its acute shortage across the country, the reports said here on Monday.

According to the reports, the price of wheat flour per kilogram in Lahore surged up to Rs 70 per kilogram while the hoarders have caused “flour crisis as its shortage is also being witnessed.

The different cities including Jaranwala and Faisalabad also witnessed sharp increase of up to Rs 30 per kilogram as wheat supply to mills was suspended. The public faced huge trouble in Jaranwala where not only the prices went high but the shortage of wheat was also witnessed.

On other hand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa nanbais (nan-makers) also produced strike across the province and many others in Punjab have given an ultimatum to the government to ensure flour prices at the previous rates so that they could not increase the prices of naan and roti.

Punjab Food Minister Sami Ullah Chauhdary, however, rejected shortage of flour and hike in its price, saying that wheat flour is available at official rate of Rs 805 per kilogram.

“There is no crisis in Punjab and they are ready for cooperation with Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” said Sami Ullah Chaudhary, adding that “Punjab should not be punished for others’ incompetence,”.

The local administration with Punjab Food department have jointly formed a plan to provide “relief” to the public of the city amid the prevailing crisis and over 10,000 bags of wheat flour have also been supplied to model markets.

Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan also took notice and ordered strict action against the hoarders and profiteers across the country, and directed the officials concerned to ensure stable prices in the country.

“Strict action must be taken against the profiteers because they deserve it,” said the PM while ordering arrest of persons involved in illegal hike of wheat flour prices.

Opposition leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif also came down hard upon the hoarders for hike in flour price. He strongly criticized the PTI government that it was because its failure.

“What people are facing today is the result of PTI’s government failure,” said Shehbaz Sharif. He urged the government to reveal the “truth” about the shortage of the basic food commodity in the country after investigation. “In-house change is a democratic right,” he said.

Fida Hussnain

Fida Hussnain is a lahore based journalist. He writes on politics, religion, social issues and climate change. He is also a research fellow at University of Gujrat.