Karachi:
The Pakistan Floures Muelas Association, Sindh, has held the Punjab government responsible for creating an artificial wheat crisis and demanded that the federal government grant permission to factories to import wheat. The association warned that the current interprovincial prohibition on wheat transport will increase wheat crisis in the next few days and could trigger a new shortage of flour.
The president of the association, Abdul Junaid Aziz, told The Express PAkGazette that the Punjab government unexpectedly imposed the prohibition of interprovincial wheat transport at the end of last week. He explained that the harvest of wheat in Sindh begins in February and supplies Punjab and other provinces, while Punjab wheat production is delayed.
Abdul Junaid said that after meeting his own requirements, Punjab abruptly stopped wheat transport to other provinces, causing a shortage of artificial wheat in Sindh, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He stressed that after the deregulation of wheat, there should be no restrictions on transport in accordance with article 151 of the Pakistan Constitution, but this constitutional provision is being violated, causing public disturbances.
He criticized the reckless actions of the government, noting that, instead of restricting the movement of wheat, Punjab should have considered the serious flood situation and facilitate the transport of wheat to other provinces. The prohibition has put thousands of millions of stored wheat at risk and has hindered the availability of affordable flour to the public.
In addition, he explained that Punjab produces 70 percent of the country’s wheat, which causes the other three provinces to depend strongly on Punjab wheat. Such actions of the Punjab government have caused feelings of deprivation and disturbances between the provinces, creating difficulties for people to access their basic food.
The association demanded the immediate survey of the interprovincial prohibition of wheat and flour transport.
