Flour crisis deepens in twin cities

Flour crisis deepened in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and all districts of the Rawalpindi division on the third day of a strike being observed by the flour millers, dealers and grocery merchants against the withholding tax in the federal budget on Thursday.

Citizens especially women ran from pillar to post to get two to three kilogrammes sacks of flour as the flour shortage exacerbated the situation. The supply of flour and fine white flour from 35 flour mills in the twin cities remained suspended on the third day of the strike.

Shopkeepers have started selling flour at Rs200 per kg in the black market and increased the price of red fine flour sack from Rs6,500 to Rs9,500 and fine white flour sack from Rs7,200 to Rs10,500. A 20kg flour bag is being sold at Rs3,100, a 15kg bag at Rs2,450 and a 10kg bag at Rs1,600 in the black market. The flour mill owners have fixed the price of flour at Rs180 per kg.

Large hotels and bakeries have stockpiled flour and flour while big shops have run out of flour. Utility stores have also run out of flour. Small shops have started selling flour at Rs180 per kg in the inner city and Rs200 per kg in suburban areas.

The crisis also engulfed tandoors in the twin cities and it is feared that the flour could completely disappear in Rawalpindi, Islamabad and all six districts of the Rawalpindi division if the matter is not resolved by Saturday evening.

Central President of the Flour Mills Association, Muhammad Asim, Flour Dealers President Zahoor Bhatti, Grocery Merchants President Salim Parvez Butt and Naanbai Association President Shafiq Qureshi have announced to continue the strike until the withholding tax is completely abolished.

They said they would not become agents of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in the sale of flour and had stopped grinding wheat from the flour-making machines till the withholding tax was over.

Due to the strike, the supply of flour has been completely stopped in Rawalpindi and Islamabad as mills have closed flour grinding operations. The move has jacked up the price of roti (bread) at tandoors and reduced its sales.

Naanbai Association President Shafiq Qureshi said that they had submitted a written requisition to increase the prices of roti and fine white flour and would increase the prices of roti, naan and paratha by Rs10 each if the district administration didn’t issue the notification of increased rates by Sunday (July 14) evening. He feared that the stock of flour would collapse by July 15 and tandoors would not be able to sell roti and naan from July 15.