Karachi:
Pakistan Flour Mills Association Sindh has held the Punjab government responsible for the creation of an artificial wheat crisis and has asked that the federal government grants mills to import wheat. The association has warned that the current interprorvincial ban on the transport of wheat would increase the wheat crisis in the coming days and could trigger a new shortage of flour.
The president of the association, Abdul Junaid Aziz, told L’Express PK Press Club that the Punjab government unexpectedly imposed a ban on the transport of interpreting wheat at the end of last week. He explained that the wheat harvest in the Sindh begins in February and provides Punjab and other provinces, while the production of Punjab wheat is delayed.
Abdul Junaid said that after meeting his own requirements, Punjab suddenly stopped the transport of wheat to other provinces, causing an artificial wheat shortage in the Sindh, Balutchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He stressed that after deregulation of wheat, there should be no restrictions on its transport in accordance with article 151 of the Pakistani constitution, but this constitutional provision is raped, causing public disorders.
He criticized the reckless actions of the government, noting that instead of restricting the wheat movement, the Punjab should have considered the severe flood situation and facilitate the transport of wheat to other provinces. The ban put billions of wheat stored at risk and hampered the availability of affordable flour for the public.
He also explained that Punjab produces 70% of the country’s wheat, which makes the other three provinces that depend strongly on Punjab wheat. Such actions of the Punjab government have caused feelings of deprivation and troubles among the provinces, creating difficulties for people to access their staple food.
The association demanded the immediate lifting of the interprorvincial ban on the transport of wheat and flour.
