October 24, 2008	Friday	Shawwal 24, 1429

JACOBABAD, Oct 23: Flour crisis has cropped up again in Jacobabad with more intensity as flour price has risen to Rs35 to 38 per kg from Rs23 per kg.

EDO, revenue, Shahid Islam with local Pakistan People’s Party leader Ahmed Nawaz Pechuho raided eight shops where shopkeepers were selling flour on high prices.

The EDO called a meeting at his office which was attended by Traders Association president Ahmed Ali Brohi, Hindu Panchayat president Lalchand Sitlani, District Food Controller (DFC) Asghar Ali Naich and others.

Mr Brohi told the meeting that grocery store owners were buying wheat flour on high rate hence they had to sell it accordingly. He said there was a little profit margin in flour trade and they could not afford to pay fine.

He said that if grocery store owners did not keep flour at their shops, there would be complaints of shortage of flour.

He accused the DFC of irregularities and alleged that he had allowed transportation of thousands of flour bags from here to Balochistan after receiving bribe.

The DFC replied that wheat bags had been shifted to Shikarpur godowns because godowns at Kandhkot and Jacobabad were full.

Mr Sitlani said that four Chakki owners in Jacobabad were unable to establish flour stalls as they were getting 20 to 40 bags of wheat per week which was their one-day quota.