Women queue up to get subsidised flour and sugar.—Dawn

The administration had announced a timetable for provision of sasta atta at these points following which the people gathered there after break of dawn.

But the flour did not reach there as scheduled, prompting hundreds of people, including women, to block the road in protest.

Later, male and female police dispersed the people to open the road for traffic.

DDOR Riaz Kakar, when questioned about the reason for delay in flour supply, said he had deployed tehsildar for the purpose.

However, Tehsildar Sahibzada Zaffar Maharvi shifted the blame to food department.

Those waiting for the flour in long queues told Dawn that they had been standing there for three hours. They alleged that only those having connections with the local PML-N leaders were provided the flour.

A police official said many of the flour seekers would sell the commodity to retailers to earn profit.

According to sources, the revenue and police officials gave the subsidised flour to their agents who sold it in the open market to make easy money.

DCO Tariq Javed Malik said 8,000 bags of 20kg flour each would be sold at 140 points in the district.