No cut in roti price despite PM orders

Our correspondent

By Islamabad: The ‘naanbais’ haven't reduced the nan and roti rates in Islamabad despite the premier's directives to revoke the recent price increase.

Nan sells for Rs12 and roti for Rs10 unlike the past when they're priced as Rs10 and Rs8 respectively. The ‘naanbais’ insisted the bread prices went up due to an increase in the cost of gas and flour rates. They said the gas rate had almost doubled, while the flour price had gone up by Rs400 per 80kg bag.

The ‘naanbais’ claimed that the administration hadn't issued them new price list, so they won't reduce the price on their own until that happened. Prime Minister Imran Khan had ordered late last month reduction in roti and nan prices.

There followed an announcement by the Economic Coordination Committee that at the advice of the prime minister, it had been decided to reverse any increase in the price of gas supplied to Roti tandoors. It added that the roti price being charged earlier would continue, which was a heavily subsidised rate. The government claimed that no tax had been imposed on ‘atta’ (wholemeal flour) so there was no reason to increase roti prices at all. The administrations were told to enforce the old roti price. However, action on the orders is anxiously awaited by residents hit hard by the escalating inflation rate.