KOHAT, Dec 20: The local administration, police and lawmakers, in connivance with the food department and fake dealers, have allegedly created artificial shortage of wheat flour in the district.

As a result sale of substandard flour at a high price is going on in the market, Dawn has learnt through sources.

Though wheat flour shortage has been overcome in the NWFP to some extent but it was becoming severe with every passing day in Kohat, the sources said.

According to Haji Abid, president of Tajir Action Committee, which is the only registered central union of businessmen in the district, the blue-eyed dealers of the administration were selling third-grade 20 kg flour bag at Rs650 and Rs700, respectively. He said in the adjoining Karak district fine quality flour of the same quantity was being sold at Rs400 because there was no interference in the business by the administration and the elected representatives.

He said, though the district received 13,000 bags of 20 kg on daily basis, with eight local mills producing 4,000 bags under fixed daily quota, yet the flour was not available in the market and people were forced to buy low quality flour at high price. He alleged that quota of the district was being smuggled somewhere else.

He regretted that the lawmakers used their influence in securing release of the president of atta dealers association who was arrested recently from his secret godown where he had stocked fine quality flour. He maintained that though the accused was fined Rs10,000, the official who had him arrested was reprimanded not to harass the flour dealer, and as such no case was registered against the dealer.