Flour millers defer strike for ten days

LAHORE: In view of the first 10 days of Muharram, the federal government and flour mill owners have reached an agreement to resume wheat grinding across the country after a three-day pause following assurances extended by the former about giving a sympathetic view to the latter’s demand for abolishing the withholding tax on the supply chain.

Both the sides showed a consensus on the issue on Saturday in a meeting held in Islamabad between a four-member government delegation comprising Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazir Tarar, State Minister for Finance Ali Pervez, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema and FBR Chairman Amjed Zubair Tiwana and PFMA delegation headed by its Chairman Asim Raza Ahmed along with senior member Farrukh Shahzad.

Accordingly, the Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) and Progressive Flour Millers Group have decided to resume operations from Sunday (today) after observing a strike since July 11, 2024. The decision to discontinue the strike comes after the government negotiation team provided assurances of positive resolution by July 22, 2024, said an office bearer of PFMA. The delegation’s meeting with the committee was seen as a significant step towards resolving the ongoing strike in the flour milling industry. Earlier on Saturday evening, tandoor owners in the provincial metropolis warned that they were facing scarcity of flour, which may lead to closure of their shops in the next two-to-three days. They called for early resolution of issues between the flour milling industry and the government, saying sale of tandoori roti and naans could be suspended on the eve of Muharram-related gatherings.