With the supply of flour to Punjab stopped, the people of the province are deprived of this basic commodity.
PESHAWAR:
Due to the emerging differences between the federal and provincial governments, the local people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) are forced to purchase flour at exorbitant prices. With the supply of wheat and flour from Punjab to KP disrupted for the past three weeks, flour mills in the province are on the verge of collapse.
Just a few days ago, a 20 kilogram bag of flour in KP was available for Rs 1,400. However, within a week, the price increased to Rs 2,100, and this week, it further climbed to Rs 2,900. Meanwhile, the price of white flour increased from Rs 1,800 to Rs 3,200 for a 20 kilogram bag.
Even as the flour crisis is intensifying in the province, the KP government, instead of tackling this crucial issue, remains preoccupied with its internal political affairs. The provincial Minister of Food has only issued statements and no concrete steps have been taken to resolve the wheat crisis or to implement an alternative strategy.
Rehan Afridi, a resident of Jamrud district who runs a garment business in Peshawar’s Firdous market, came to the flour market to buy flour. Last month, he bought two 20 kg bags of flour for 3,000 rupees. However, this week, one store was selling them for Rs 5,400 and another for Rs 5,600.
Rehan told The Express PK Press Club that he was shocked to see the sudden rise in prices. “Flour and ghee are essential items in our monthly budget. The doubling of their prices has completely disrupted the budgets of middle-income households. If the government can’t even provide cheap flour, what other help can we expect? » lamented Rehan.
Nabi Jan, a Suzuki driver from the Peshawar suburb of Chamakni, shared similar grievances. “It is extremely sad that the warehouses of rural and urban markets are full of flour. The government could purchase it at a profit margin and help the poor, but the district administration and the food department remain silent,” criticized Jan.
According to information received by The Express PK Press Club, due to rising flour prices and shortages, traders have hinted that there will be a province-wide strike if the price of bread (roti) is not allowed to increase; a decision which will worsen the public’s difficulties.
Naeem Butt, president of the Flour Mills Association of Pakistan (KP), said the unconstitutional restrictions on the movement of wheat and flour from Punjab were of great concern as 90 percent of KP’s flour industry had shut down.
“Due to restrictions in Punjab, prices of flour, refined flour (maida) and other products are increasing daily. The price of a 20 kg bag of flour, which was Rs 1,600 before August 25, has now increased to Rs 3,000. KP’s total wheat requirement is 5.3 million metric tonnes, but the province produces only 1.2 million tonnes,” Butt said.
Junaid Altaf, President of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also expressed serious concern over the ongoing wheat crisis in the province. “The fragile flour industry is being pushed to the brink of destruction. The highest civil and military authorities must intervene and lift the ban on the transportation of wheat and flour from Punjab to KP to save the province from a humanitarian and economic crisis,” Altaf urged.
When the Express PK Press Club asked flour merchant Kifayat Khan in Peshawar about the sudden price hike, he explained, “It has been almost a month and not a single bag of flour is allowed to cross the Attock Bridge. In Punjab, a 20 kg bag costs Rs 1,800, but in KP it is sold for Rs 3,000.
Former provincial finance minister Taimur Jhagra said at a press conference in Peshawar that the federal government was not repaying the arrears of the NFC Award and the annual special FATA package to KP. “Politics aside, the basic needs of the public should never be ignored in such matters,” Jhagra asserted.
