FAISALABAD: Atta Chakki Owners Association staged a protest demonstration at District Council Chowk on Thursday against the food department for suspending their wheat quota.

Carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans in favour of their demands and against the food department officials as well, the agitators chanted slogans against the officials and demanded restoration of the quota.

Talking to reporters, they said the government had not given any sort of direction to the Faisalabad food officials to suspend wheat quota of atta chakkis. However, the officials without giving any solid reason suspended the quota a couple of weeks ago which badly hit the financial condition of chakki owners.

They said they had approached the Faisalabad commissioner and the deputy commissioner for the restoration of quota and both officials asked the food department to release them wheat. However, they alleged the food officials were not ready to follow the direction of these senior officials.

The agitators said wheat was being issued to the chakkis for years without any hindrance. They said neither the officials were restoring the quota nor giving any reason for its suspension.

The Punjab government though a letter issued on June 7 last clearly mentioned the issuance of three bags per stone to the chakkis and the same notification had been extended on Sept 9 by the Food Department, they said.

However, food department sources said the Sept 9 letter clearly mentioned to carry on the release of subsidised wheat to mills as stop gap arrangement as per June 7 notification. They said the letter was silent on the issuance of wheat to the chakkis.

SUICIDE: A couple allegedly committed suicide in Jaranwala over poverty and frequent quarrels on Thursday.

Mehnga Masih of Chak 240, Jaranwala, said his daughter-in-law, Tabita, took acid after a money dispute with her husband, Shahbaz. He said his son could not bear this shock and he also took his life by taking a poisonous substance.

Reports said Tabita consumed the bathroom cleaner while Shahbaz took poisonous pills.

The bodies were shifted to hospital for autopsy.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2020