DERA GHAZI KHAN, Jan 3: There is a shortage of flour in the district despite the regular provision of wheat to flour mills by the Food Department. Flour mill owners allegedly smuggle the commodity to other provinces with the connivance of the district administration.

The turbulence which erupted in the district after the death of Pakistan People’s Party leader Benazir Bhutto on Dec 27, aggravated the flour crisis in the district which was already facing the shortage of flour. Now a 20-kg flour bag is being sold at Rs425 instead of its actual price Rs295.

The Food Department claims that it supplies subsidised wheat to 14 flour mills of the district. The provincial government has directed all district coordination officers (DCOs) to make possible the provision of subsidised flour bags to the public but the situation in DG Khan shows the failure of the administration to provide flour to the public.

But the DCO claimed in a handout that as many 14 points of provision of subsidised flour were set up in the district.

Sources alleged that flour mill owners sent their production outside the district to Balochistan, the NWFP and Sindh with alleged connivance of concern departments.

Flour bags without any labels are being smuggled out of the province by trucks via Dera-Quetta Road. Sources claimed five to eight trucks cross the checkpoints on this road every day.

BAHAWALPUR: As the prices of wheat have shot up from Rs650 to Rs800 per 40 kg in open market here, flour is being sold at Rs25 per kg in open market.