June 09, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-us-Sani 04, 1429

JACOBABAD, June 8: Wheat flour traders have gone on strike against the food department’s seizure of wheat flour-loaded trucks which were coming to Jacobabad from Sukkur four days ago.

The chairman of the local chapter of the Flour Traders Association, Ahmed Ali Brohi, said in a statement that trucks travelling to Jacobabad from Sukkur, Shikarpur were stopped and were allowed to pass after paying bribes. He said that he had contacted DCO of Jacobabad Rashid Mehmood but he was not available.

He said the police and food department were not allowing flour movement in Jacobabad and Shikarpur which had created flour shortage.

However, wheat and flour meant for Balochistan was being allowed to move without any hindrance, he said.

He claimed that the district food controller had deputed their favourite staff at check-posts.

He said that after raids at hoarders’ godowns, shopkeepers were not selling flour which had created its shortage and the flour was being sold at Rs30 per kilogramme on retail shops.