DADU, Jan 5: About 100 flour mills and Chakkis were closed in the district on Monday due to shortage of wheat. The closure of the mills and Chakkis in different towns of the district led to flour crisis as traders were selling flour at Rs14 per kilogramme.
Talking to journalists, Dadu Flour Mills Association representatives Sikandar Lakhair, Amanullah Memon and Kamran Shaikh said the food department was not providing wheat quota to flour mills and Chakkis of the district for the last three months.
They confirmed the closure of the mills and Chakkis. They alleged that the food department was providing wheat to other districts. They said the crisis would deepen if the flour mills and Chakkis were not provided with their wheat quota.
FOOD OFFICIALS: Dadu district food controller Mohammad Ayub Rind said the food department was providing due share of wheat to flour mills in the district.
He said about 25,000 bags of wheat were available in godowns of the food department in the district. He said mill owners who approached his office were provided with wheat.
PROTEST against police: Residents of Haji Sher Khan Kalhoro and Keti Jatoi villages and adjoining areas held a protest demonstration outside the press club here on Sunday against police excesses. They were led by Gulzar Ahmad Junejo, Mohammad Hanif Abbasi, Jaro Junejo and others.
Speaking on the occasion, Gulzar said he was going to Phulji to purchase medicines for his minor daughter but the police officials detained him at Phulji town police post and demanded Rs20,000 from him.
He said the police officials threatened him with implication in false cases if he did not pay them the amount. He said on his refusal, ASI Mohammad Saleh Pitafi, head constable Akhtiar Ahmad and constable Shahnawaz tortured him.
The villager said he was released on Sunday after influential people of the area informed the ASI that the daughter of the detainee had died. Mr Abbasi said the police officials had arrested his peasants Zulfiqar and Zahid Kalhoro and released them after receiving Rs10,000.
