Flour mills association threatens nationwide shutdown

The Pakistan Flour Mills Association has announced a halt in wheat washing starting Wednesday, July 10, and an indefinite closure of flour mills from Thursday, July 11, in protest against the imposition of withholding tax on wheat products. Pakistan Flour Mills Association Chairman Chaudhry Amir Abdullah made this announcement while addressing a press conference alongside Chaudhry Muhammad Yusuf and other officials on Tuesday.

Abdullah stressed that this is the last chance for the government, and that if the government does not accept their demands, flour mills across the country, including those in Karachi, will be shut down starting Thursday. He stated that for the first time in Pakistan’s 70-year history, withholding tax has been imposed on roti (bread).

“Instead of targeting the common man’s roti, the government should announce the withdrawal of this withholding tax. The imposition of the withholding tax will increase the price of flour by Rs8 per kg,” he lamented.

Representatives of the flour mills said that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is shifting the responsibility of revenue collection onto flour mills after its own failure in tax collection. If the decision is not revised, flour mills across the country, including Karachi, will stop washing and grinding wheat from Wednesday, July 10. The supply of bran to cattle farms will cease, and flour mills nationwide will be closed indefinitely from Thursday, July 11, they warned.