Naanbais threaten strike over price reduction

RAWALPINDI:

The negotiations between the government, district administration and the All Bakers' Organisations to increase the price of roti have failed.

Under the Pakistan Nanbai Association, the Bakers' Organisations of the twin cities of Rawalpindi, Islamabad and all 43 districts of Punjab have announced to increase the prices of roti, naan, paratha and roghani naan on their own from Tuesday, September 9.

The announcement has created a stir within the district administration, who have called the Bakers' Organisations for an emergency meeting on Tuesday (today), but they have refused to meet and its leaders have gone into hiding to avoid arrests. Shafiq Qureshi, the central president of the Pakistan Nanbai Association, told Express that the price of red flour was Rs5,435 per sack (79 kg) till August 31. This sack is now being sold for Rs9,200 by the flour mills. It is available in the open market for Rs 9,700. A sack of fine flour, which was worth Rs6,200, is now being sold for Rs9,800 and for Rs10,400 in the open market. Due to such a high price, we will not be able to sell bread for Rs 14 now.

Consequently, the new price of Surkh Patiri bread will now be Rs20 instead of Rs14, while the prices of Naan Paratha are also expected to increase by Rs5. The association president said that if the government and district administration restore the old prices, they will continue to sell bread for Rs14. "We cannot sell cheap bread by buying a sack of flour for Rs5,435."