Flour mills blame Punjab for wheat crisis

Warn of looming nationwide shortage; urge federal approval for wheat imports

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Flour Mills Association Sindh has held the Punjab government responsible for creating an artificial wheat crisis and demanded that the federal government grant mills permission to import wheat. The association warned that the ongoing inter-provincial ban on wheat transportation will escalate the wheat crisis in the coming days and could trigger a new flour shortage.

Association Chairman Abdul Junaid Aziz told The Express Tribune that the Punjab government unexpectedly imposed a ban on inter-provincial wheat transport at the end of last week. He explained that wheat harvesting in Sindh begins as early as February and supplies Punjab and other provinces, while Punjab's wheat production is delayed.

Abdul Junaid said that after fulfilling its own requirements, Punjab abruptly stopped wheat transport to other provinces, causing an artificial wheat shortage in Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He emphasised that following the deregulation of wheat, there should be no restrictions on its transportation according to Article 151 of the Pakistan Constitution, but this constitutional provision is being violated, causing public unrest.

He criticised the government's unwise actions, noting that instead of restricting wheat movement, Punjab should have considered the severe flood situation and facilitated wheat transport to other provinces. The ban has put billions worth of stored wheat at risk and hindered the availability of affordable flour to the public.

He further explained that Punjab produces 70 per cent of the country's wheat, making the other three provinces heavily reliant on Punjab's wheat. Such actions by the Punjab government have caused feelings of deprivation and unrest among provinces, creating difficulties for people in accessing their staple food.

The association demanded the immediate lifting of the inter-provincial ban on wheat and flour transportation.