ISLAMABAD: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Saturday condemned Punjab government’s ban on the inter-district and inter-provincial movement of wheat.
The apex body urged the Cabinet’s Economic Coordination Committee to look into the issue and resolve it at the earliest.
“The government of Punjab wants to sell subsidised flour in green bags during Ramazan to gain political mileage but the move has raised concerns among other provinces and within the business community,” President FPCCI Ghazanfar Bilour said in a statement.
“The ban on inter-district and inter-provincial movement of wheat flour is illegal and unethical. The move would create a sense of deprivation among the people of other provinces that depend on Punjab’s wheat. This is also against the provisions of the Constitution,” the statement read.
The flour mills in Punjab are allowed to grind wheat provided by the government and sell flour in the green bags only in the local market resulting in under capacity.
According to the Punjab government’s decision, if any white flour bag is spotted in any of the mills or with any shopkeeper it will result in swift registration of an FIR, the statement said. “This is creating unnecessary harassment,” the statement added.
The FPCCI said flour mills in Punjab have been barred from producing and selling flour to other provinces.
Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2018
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