5 mills served show cause notices for grinding less quantity of flour

Rawalpindi: Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Noor-ul-Amin Mengal has issued show cause notices to five flourmills and also banned wheat quota of a flourmill on grinding less quantity of wheat and hoarding it. The commissioner also sought a reply from them within three days as to why they were grinding less quantity of wheat and hoarding it depriving the public of subsidised flour in the open market.

On the other hand, Pakistan Flourmills Association (PFMA) has protested against surprise visits and raids in flourmills and threatened to go on strike if the district government does not stop its action. “We will stop flour supply in the open market for an indefinite period,” PFMA warned.

The five flourmills served show cause notices include New Khurram Flourmill, Al Naveed Flourmill, Zaman Flourmill, New Habib Flourmill and Al Waris Flourmill. The commissioner has also directed to ban the quota of subsidized wheat of Al Madina Flourmill here on Wednesday.

The commissioner Rawalpindi Division said that they were taking strict action against profiteers and hoarders for misusing subsidized wheat. The government has given subsidies on wheat only to the public but hoarders are taking advantage of it. But, I will never spare them at any cost, he warned.

He said that it is our duty to provide subsidized flour to the public. The commissioner also visited Lalkurti, Jhanda Chichi, Asghar Mall, and Murree Road shops to check the smooth supply of subsidized flour.

Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi Tahir Farooq also raided Al Qamar Flourmill, Al Halal Flourmill, and Al Khurram Flourmill and checked all records of flour supply as well as its quality and supply system.

Pakistan Flourmills Association (PFMA) Group Leader Asim Raza and Chairman (Punjab) Tahir Hanif Malik condemned the surprise visits and raids of the district government at flourmills. They alleged that district government and food department officials are only demanding ‘bribe’ from flourmill owners and harassed them. If the district government does not stop raids and surprise visits, we will stop flour supply in markets, they warned.

‘The News’ conducted a survey that subsidized ‘Atta’ was not available in the majority of shops in the open markets and government-run utility stores. Three kinds of flour was available in open market shops. A 20-kilogram flour bag (low quality) was selling at Rs1150, a 20-kilogram flour bag (normal quality) at Rs1400, and a 20-kilogram flour bag (fine quality) selling at Rs1600.