Naanbais in Rawalpindi observe strike

Rawalpindi: ‘Naanbais’ have increased prices of ‘roti’, ‘naan’ and ‘kulcha’ at their own without the notification of concerned authorities and threaten to go on complete strike if their demands were not met, and also closed shutdown ‘tandoors’ here on Monday.

The Muthidda Naanbais Welfare Association (MNWA) without prior notification of concerned management has increased price of ‘Roti’ from Rs7 to Rs10 and ‘Naan price’ from Rs10 to Rs15 and ‘Kulcha’ price by from Rs15 to Rs18. They are selling ‘roti,’ ‘naan’ and ‘kulcha’ according to their own prices for over two weeks. They are not only selling ‘roti and naan’ in higher prices but also threatening to observe ‘sit-in’ in front of Parliament House from August 17.

MNWA President Muhammad Shafiq Qureshi told ‘The News’ that the government has increased prices of ‘Atta’ bags therefore we have increased ‘roti’ and ‘naan’ prices. The local administration is arresting our ‘naanbais’ therefore we have closed down all tandoors, he said. If government decreased the prices of ‘Atta’, we will sell roti and naan on old prices, he promised. “Otherwise we will observe ‘sit-in’ in front of Parliament House on August 17,” he warned.

Assistant District Collector General Zaheer Anwar Jappa said that we are going to start crackdown against ‘naanbais’ because they are continuously blackmailing us. They are already selling ‘roti and naan’ at high prices. We have assured them to send controlled rates ‘Atta’ sacks in their tandoors but they did not agree. They are only trying to pressurise us through baseless strikes, he said.