Millers threaten strike over police action

Association issues 48-hour ultimatum to register cases against delinquent personnel

CRAWLEY, UK/ RAWALPINDI:

The Pakistan Flour Mills Association has announced a complete strike if cases are not registered against the police personnel responsible for allegedly assaulting the owner of a Taxila flour mill and the FIR registered against him is not withdrawn within 48 hours.

The association has warned that it will first suspend flour supplies across the Rawalpindi Division, followed by a complete halt to supplies across Punjab within 72 hours. It has also threatened a nationwide protest if its demands are not met.

The decision was announced at an emergency meeting of the association, chaired by its group leader, Qaid Asim Raza Ahmed, and Patron-in-Chief Tariq Sadiq.

Participants were informed that police Security Branch personnel allegedly misbehaved with and assaulted Sheikh Abu Bakar, owner of Lasani Flour Mills in Taxila. Instead of taking action against the officials concerned, police registered a case against the mill owner and subsequently sealed the flour mill by force, allegedly to harass him.

The association condemned the incident, terming it an act of hooliganism and misuse of authority. It demanded that cases be registered against Security Branch personnel Zaheer and Zamin Shah for allegedly abusing their powers and assaulting the mill owner.

The association said it supported the Punjab government's policies and that flour mill owners were responsible businesspeople who paid substantial taxes. However, it would not tolerate police high-handedness, which, it said, was making it increasingly difficult for businesses to operate.

The association also demanded immediate legal action against the Food Department officials and police Security Branch personnel allegedly involved in the incident.

It warned that failure to register cases against those responsible and withdraw the FIR against the mill owner within two days would result in a complete suspension of flour supplies across the Rawalpindi Division. Supplies across Punjab would be halted on the third day, followed by a nationwide protest.

The association urged Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to take immediate notice of the incident, alleging that the police and Food Department were undermining the provincial government's policies.

Subsidised flour shortage

The closure of one of the two major depots supplying subsidised flour to tandoors for the sale of roti at Rs20 has severely affected the cheap roti scheme across the district.

Only around 150 out of 7,000 tandoors are reportedly receiving subsidised flour at the official rate from the remaining depot, triggering a crisis in the supply system.

The sale of subsidised red-flour roti at 90 per cent of tandoors is suspended after sunset because of flour shortages. The Naanbai Association has announced that it will not purchase expensive flour from the open market and sell roti at the subsidised price of Rs20 if cheap flour is not provided.

Association Central President Shafiq Abbasi said tandoors in Rawalpindi district were supplied a 20kg bag of subsidised flour for Rs2,200 to sell roti at Rs20. Large tandoors previously received up to 10 bags daily, while small neighbourhood tandoors were supplied up to five bags. Two major depots had been established to ensure supplies.