Wheat permit ban sparks flour crisis

RAWALPINDI:

A severe flour shortage began to emerge across Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Tuesday after the Punjab Food Department suspended wheat quota permits for all flour mills operating in the federal capital, extending an earlier suspension imposed on mills across the Rawalpindi Division.

The decision brought wheat milling to a complete halt at flour mills in the twin cities, disrupting flour supplies and triggering sharp increases in the prices of flour and related products. Bakers reportedly raised the price of roti from Rs17 to Rs25, while the price of naan also increased.

The Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) and the Punjab Flour Mills Association have strongly condemned the suspension, warning that flour mills across Punjab could be shut down in solidarity with those in Rawalpindi and Islamabad if the decision is not reversed immediately. The associations have appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to intervene and restore the wheat quota without delay.

Speaking after an emergency meeting, association leaders, including Chairman Riaz Ullah Khan and other office-bearers, said wheat quota permits covering approximately 8,000 tonnes had been cancelled. They demanded the immediate restoration of the permits and the removal of obstacles to wheat transportation.

The associations alleged that the repeated suspension of wheat permits was disrupting flour production, encouraging the black market and creating opportunities for corruption. They warned that the decision would not only drive up flour prices but also leave residents of the twin cities facing an acute shortage of the staple commodity.