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There is a huge shortage of flour in Rawalpindi and Islamabad of Pakistan. The situation is worsening after the Punjab Food Department banned the supply of wheat. Flour mills have warned of stopping flour distribution, due to which the food crisis is worsening.
Islamabad. The sudden deepening of flour crisis in Rawalpindi and Islamabad of Pakistan has increased the concern of the people. After Punjab Food Department banned the supply of wheat, flour mills in both the cities have announced to stop flour distribution. Orders from dealers, tandoor owners and grocery traders were canceled from Friday night itself, due to which the shortage was immediately felt in the markets.
Flour Mill Association targeted the government. Rawalpindi Flour Mill Association held an emergency meeting and strongly criticized the government’s decision. Patron chief of the association Sheikh Tariq Sadiq said that Rawalpindi and Islamabad are completely dependent on wheat supply from Punjab. If permits are not immediately reinstated, flour production will come to a halt and the crisis will deepen. He warned that this situation could turn into a humanitarian crisis if the government did not take immediate action.
fury of tandoor owners
Pakistan Bakers Association has also criticized the attitude of the government. Association President Shafiq Qureshi said that the price of a 79 kg flour bag has increased from Rs 5,500 to Rs 11,000, while the price of fine flour has reached Rs 12,600. He alleged that tandoor owners are having to bear the brunt of administrative failure. Many shops were sealed and fines ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 were imposed on the owners.
Burden on public’s pockets, even bread is becoming ‘luxury’
Now it is becoming difficult for people to even buy bread. The association has demanded the government to immediately convene a meeting of the price control committee so that the prices of bread can be fixed as per the current flour rates. If the situation continues like this, bread may disappear from the common man’s plate. Pakistani people are now hoping that the government should take some concrete steps soon so that their ‘daily food’ does not become a cause of crisis.
