MIRPURKHAS: Raids were conducted on atta chakkies in different areas of Mirpurkhas on Sunday to check a hike in flour prices.

Mirpurkhas Assistant Commissioner Ghulam Hussain Kanio along with police force raided a number of chakkies and found sale of atta at Rs65-68 as against the official price of Rs50 per kilogram. He imposed fines on the chakkies’ owners and operators and warned them against resorting to overcharging.

Panicked by the raids, many owners and operators of chakkies closed down their business.

Office-bearers of the Chakki Owners Association, Mirpurkhas, reacted strong to the raids and imposition of fines.

Liaquat Qureshi, Abdul Rasheed, Rafi Malik and other leaders in statement condemned the action and argued that flour rates had to be increased as the food department failed to provide subsidised wheat to chakki owners, who had to buy the commodity at a higher rate.

They pointed out that the artificial shortage of wheat caused by the department’s failure to ensure supply of subsidised wheat to chakki owners had provided an opportunity to hoarders to make windfall profits by marketing their stocks at a higher rate.

They urged the Sindh government to conduct raids on hoarders’ warehouses instead of targeting chakki owners. They also called for ensuring adequate supply of subsidised wheat to chakki owners by the food department.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2020