PESHAWAR: The Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) on Wednesday warned of launching a province-wide protest campaign against what they termed an ‘illegal and unconstitutional ban’ on the movement of wheat from Punjab to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Addressing a joint press conference at the Chamber House on Wednesday, SCCI president Junaid Altaf and PFMA KP chairman Naeem Butt said the continued restrictions on wheat supply from Punjab could trigger a severe flour crisis and force the closure of hundreds of flour mills in the province.

They criticised both the federal and provincial governments for remaining ‘silent’ over the issue and warned that protests would spread across the province if the ‘ban’ was not lifted immediately.

The business leaders also demanded that the provincial government be allowed to import wheat directly if inter-provincial transportation restrictions were not withdrawn.

Ask KP govt to halt power, gas supply to Punjab if restrictions continue

Mr Altaf said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa relied heavily on Punjab to meet its wheat requirements, adding that the restrictions violated Article 151 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of trade and commerce within the country.

He said more than 300 flour mills in the province were facing a crisis due to the disruption in wheat supply.

“The smaller federating units must be given their constitutional rights,” he said, urging the Punjab government to immediately restore wheat transportation to KP in order to avert a flour shortage.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Butt said the province required over 53,000 metric tonnes of wheat, while local production stood at only around 12,000 metric tonnes, leaving a shortfall of approximately 41,000 metric tonnes that was usually met by Punjab.

He alleged that checkpoints had been established at various points where transporters were being forced to pay bribes to move wheat consignments into KP.

According to him, the price of a wheat sack had risen to Rs11,600 due to the restrictions, while the price of a 20kg flour bag had increased by Rs800 in the open market. He warned that flour prices would rise further if wheat supply from Punjab was not resumed immediately.

Responding to questions from journalists, Mr Butt said provinces had become autonomous in wheat procurement after the 18th Constitutional Amendment, but KP’s rights had repeatedly been ignored.

He claimed the provincial government had no wheat stocks available and criticised the KP chief minister for “failing to protect the rights of the province’s people”.

He also suggested that the provincial government consider halting the supply of electricity and gas to Punjab if the restrictions continued.

The SCCI and PFMA leaders appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshall Syed Asim Munir to intervene and ensure the immediate restoration of wheat supply to KP.

They also urged the KP chief minister to hold talks with the federal government to resolve the issue.

Later, SCCI and PFMA members, accompanied by flour mill owners, blocked the GT Road in protest against the restrictions.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2026