Govt asked to lift ban on inter-provincial movement of wheat

PESHAWAR: The flourmills owners in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday asked the federal government to lift ban on the inter-provincial movement of wheat.

They maintained that the government should take steps to ensure timely availability of wheat to the flourmills to avert flour crisis in the province. The demand was made by a delegation of flourmills owners led by Pakistan Flour Mills Association KP chairman Muhammad Iqbal and group leader, Muhammad Naeem Butt during a meeting with Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Maqsood Anwer Pervaiz.

The flour millers apprised the meeting that the Punjab government had imposed ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘unlawful’ ban on wheat transportation to KP in violation of the Article 151 of the Constitution. They said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was wheat deficient province and is dependent on Punjab to fulfill its food requirements.

The flourmills in the province would be closed as the government has stopped wheat supply to local mills, they added. The flour millers said they were not able to supply flour to the market owing to non-availability of wheat and it would create shortage of flour across the province. “We had earlier warned the provincial government to take up the issue with the Sindh, Punjab and the federal governments, but it paid no attention,” Naeem Butt said.

The performance of the provincial government and KP Food department is pathetic, he said.

He said the economic activities had slowed down due to prolonged lockdown while imposition of ban on transportation of wheat and unavailability of wheat to local mills would lead to complete closure of flour mills.

The SCCI chief said unavailability of wheat to KP flour mills was unjust and asked the government to lift the ban on wheat transportation.