KHAR: Long queues of people were witnessed at the subsidised wheat flour sale points in various parts of Bajaur tribal district on Sunday despite the government’s instructions for practicing social distancing to avoid spread of coronavirus. It was noted that the flour crisis was getting severe with each passing day.

During a visit of several bazaars and trade centres by this correspondent and keeping in view reports from different parts of the region it was observed that the entire district was in the grip of severe flour shortage.

While visiting Khar, Inayat Kallay, Sadiqabad, Nawagai, Pashat and Raggan bazaars, this correspondent witnessed people standing in long lines outside flour shops and subsidised flour sale points while ignoring the instructions for social distancing.

The people said that the flour shortage had worsened for the last two days. Akbar Khan, a resident of Khar town standing in a long queue along with other customers, said that he did not know the reason for flour shortage. He said that he had been waiting for the last three hours to get a bag of flour on official price.

Flour shortage also persists in Kohat

The people claimed that up to Rs500 increase in the price of 20kg flour bag had been witnessed in the open market across the district. They added that a 20kg bag of flour, which was earlier sold at Rs810, had now been selling at Rs1,200 to Rs1,300.

Ajab Khan, a resident of Salarzai, told this correspondent that the sale points of subsidised flour could not meet the demand of local people.

Meanwhile, former PML-N MNA Shahabuddin Khan, JI leader Qari Abdul Majeed and other politicians urged the administration to take notice of the flour crisis.

In Kohat , the administration has asked the people to cooperate for at least a week and buy flour transported from Punjab for Rs1,100 per 20kg bag, as flour shortage persists in the district.

Additional district commissioner Bashir Ahmed during a visit of the warehouses asked the owners to release flour in the market to overcome the scarcity and ensure provision of the commodity at Rs800 per 20kg bag.

He said that due to lockdown the local flour mills were also facing shortage of wheat and they could not produce flour according to the demand.

He said that it was expected that the lockdown would be lifted within a week after which sufficient wheat would be available for the local flour mills. He appealed to the people that till then they should consume super fine Punjab flour which was costly as they had no other choice.

In Karak, as many as 20 flour sale points have been set up across the district and there is no shortage flour in the district.

This was stated by district food controller Amjad Ali while talking to media persons here on Sunday. He said that as many as 4,224 flour bags would be supplied to these points on daily basis.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2020