Ban on flour supply : Dealers threaten to forcibly stop trucks carrying minerals to Punjab

NOWSHERA: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Flour Dealers Association on Sunday threatened to forcibly stop trucks transporting minerals to Punjab in response to the suspension of flour supply to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from Punjab.

Speaking at a press conference, office-bearers of the association, including Akram Shah, Majeedullah, Adalat Khan, Abdullah Khan, Irfan Akbar and others warned that the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments would be held responsible for any untoward incident.

The dealers also demanded that the wheat stored in government warehouses in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which is at risk of being wasted, should be immediately provided to flourmills in the province.

They said that if the suspension of flour supply from Punjab continued, bakeries and tandoors would be shut down across the province.

Akram Shah said that the Punjab government had crossed all limits of injustice by cutting off the supply of flour to the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He added that even animal feed has not been spared, as Punjab had also imposed a ban on the supply of wheat bran used to feed livestock. He said this attitude was a clear example of arrogance and authoritarianism.

He demanded that the ample wheat stored in government warehouses across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should be supplied to local flourmills to prevent it from rotting. He warned that flour shops across the province are already empty, and within a few days, districts like Nowshera, Mardan, Charsadda, Swat, and Kohat may face severe flour shortages.

He warned that if the restrictions continued, the association would be forced to stop trucks transporting minerals from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Punjab, and both provincial governments would be responsible for the consequences.