K-P releases wheat to curb flour prices

Afridi orders subsidised wheat sale after Punjab's inter-provincial restrictions trigger sharp price hike

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has launched immediate relief measures to protect consumers from soaring wheat and flour prices following what it termed "unconstitutional restrictions" imposed by the Punjab government on inter-provincial movement of essential commodities.

Acting on the timely intervention of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, the K-P Food Department has begun releasing 136,000 metric tonnes of wheat from the province's strategic reserves. The move aims to stabilise the open market and shield the public from abnormal price pressure that emerged after the restrictions disrupted supply chains.

According to official figures, the price of wheat in the open market had surged to Rs13,650 per 100 kilograms after the Punjab government's curbs. In response, the K-P government has decided to provide wheat at a subsidised rate of Rs10,414 per 100 kilograms to ensure affordability for the public. As a result of this intervention, a 20-kilogram bag of flour will now be available for Rs2,220 instead of Rs3,020, offering significant relief to low- and middle-income households.

Chief Minister Afridi underscored that Article 151 of the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees the free movement of essential goods across the country, and stressed that the K-P government would not allow food security to be held hostage to provincial barriers or administrative restrictions. He said safeguarding the basic rights of citizens was a constitutional obligation of the government and no compromise would be made on this principle.

The chief minister further directed that the release of wheat be carried out in a fully transparent manner and strictly in line with the prescribed mechanism. Under the policy, wheat will be supplied only to eligible flour mills and authorised dealers to prevent misuse. He also ordered that the sale of flour at officially notified prices must be ensured under all circumstances.

To enforce compliance, Afridi announced the implementation of an effective monitoring and physical verification system at the district and tehsil levels. He warned that hoarding, profiteering and violations of official price lists would not be tolerated.

Reiterating the government's commitment, the chief minister said the K-P administration stood firmly with its people and would take indiscriminate action against anyone exploiting the crisis. "There will be no compromise on the interests of the common man," he said, adding that the government would continue to take all necessary steps to ensure food availability and price stability across the province.