PESHAWAR, April 23: All Pakistan Flour Mills Association President Malik Niaz Ahmad has termed the ban imposed by the Punjab government on inter-provincial transportation of wheat unconstitutional and demanded that it should be revoked.

In a press statement issued here, he said the decision would have a negative impact on the flour mills in other provinces. He said the decision was in violation to Article 151 of the Constitution, under which inter-provincial trade could not be banned.

He said wheat was a national crop which could not be confined to a province. Malik Niaz said the decision of Punjab's chief minister had created concern among the smaller provinces.

He said it would result in increase in flour prices in the three provinces and affect the flour industry there. He asked President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zaffarullah Khan Jamali to force Punjab's chief minister not to takesuch unconstitutional decisions.