QUETTA, Nov 11: The Balochistan’s food department has cancelled licences of all government fair price shops in Quetta and decided to issue fresh licences to new flour dealers.

A meeting of the department on Tuesday reviewed flour supply situation in Quetta and other parts of the province.

Sources said that the action had been taken in view of complaints against the fair price shops.

The meeting observed that a majority of the shops were not selling flour to the public despite receiving their daily quota from mills.

“Around 500 licences have been cancelled with immediate effect,” official sources told Dawn, adding that most of these licenses were issued to undeserving people on “political grounds”. They were selling their flour quota to mills, sparking fears of another flour crisis in the province.

According to the sources, the food department has decided to issue 200 fresh licences and set up new fair price shops in 65 union councils.