KARACHI: Flour miller owners in Sindh have refused to cooperate with the provincial government for its intended ‘Ramazan package,’ calling it impractical and political gimmickry.

In a letter to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, the Sindh chapter of the Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) said it has always been opposed to impractical campaigns, which do not serve the objective of providing relief to the poor.

Except, they are merely “political show-off” and result in widespread malpractice, said Zahoor Ahmed Lahori, the PFMA Sindh chapter’s secretary.

“In no way, flour mills will accept the Ramazan Package and are totally against [it] and would not be a part of it,” the flour association said.

The body said it also refused a similar initiative in 2017 because needy people never benefit from such packages. The PFMA believed instead of such packages, the government should provide subsidies through the Benazir Income Support Programme or the Ehsas Programme.

Besides, relief could also be provided by subsidising electricity for the poor who consume 300 units or less as it will lower their expenses.

With Ramazan approaching, and inflation showing no signs of subsiding, the poor are feeling the pang as daily use items are fast getting out of the reach of the poor. As the price of flour has shot up by more than 100 per cent over the last two years, the price of a Naan surged to Rs30 from Rs12 during the period.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2023