LAHORE: The Punjab government says that it has not imposed any restriction on theinter-provincial transportation of wheat flour, terming the ongoing propaganda in this regard “completely baseless and contrary to the facts.”

Punjab Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari stated here on Sunday that the inter-provincial transportation of flour is going on in a transparent manner through official permits, ensuring a clear and traceable record of flour being transported out of the province.

She said that the the people of Punjab are the government’s foremost priority. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the availability and affordability of wheat flour

for every citizen has been ensured. “This pro-people style of governance is what some elements find hard to digest,” she added.

Advises KP government to buy wheat from Passco or international market

The minister says the Punjab government is providing subsidies using taxpayers’ money to ensure relief for the public and to avoid any potential crisis during the dry months.

She says that Punjab currently has 0.885 million tonnes of wheat reserves, valued at approximately Rs100 billion, which reflects the farsighted policies of the chief minister.

Ms Bokhari says that flour mills are being supplied wheat at Rs3,000 per maund to maintain continuous availability and price stability in the market.

She advises Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government that if the province’s flour demand has exceeded its own capacity, it should release its stored wheat or procure it from Passco. “Punjab cannot compromise its people’s right to affordable flour for the sake of another province’s political theatrics,” she remarks.

Highlighting that over 200 flour mills in KP are currently non-operational, she advises the KP chief minister to focus on reviving these mills instead of staging protests outside Adiala Jail, so that his people can have access to flour.

The minister reiterated that there is no ban on the inter-provincial movement of wheat or flour in Punjab, clarifying that under Article 18 of the Constitution and other relevant laws, permits and digital monitoring have been made mandatory to prevent hoarding and profiteering.

She said the KP government, if genuinely concerned about its people, could also procure wheat from international markets, “instead of indulging in political theatrics.” “Political slogans and street dramas do not feed people, only sound governance and effective planning do.”

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2025