LAHORE, Nov 7: Flour prices increased by Rs5 to 10 per 20kg on Friday, as millers went on a strike throughout the Punjab to protest the arrest of four profiteers.
Though there was no shortage of flour in the market on the first day of a three-day strike, the price shot up and it was feared that it might increase further on Saturday if the strike continued.
The food department was holding a meeting to find a way out of the crisis when this report was filed. It, however, expressed its determination to take legal action against those mills that failed to grind wheat.
Meanwhile, Punjab Food Minister Chaudhry Iqbal has invited millers to a late night meeting to discuss the issue. However, millers have refused to attend any meeting till the release of their colleagues.
The millers had gone on a strike to register their protest against the arrest of millers, who were booked by the Faisalabad district government on Wednesday on charges of selling overpriced flour.
Punjab PFMA chief Liaquat Ali Khan claimed that over 450 mills observed a complete strike in the province, and termed the protest call a success.
He said that the price of a 20kg bag in the market had increased by Rs5 during the first day of the strike. Other office-bearers of the association claimed that the price had increased by Rs10 in some parts of the province. The insiders feared that the price of flour could increase significantly on the second day of strike on Saturday.
Meanwhile, there was complete deadlock over the issue of millers’ arrest between the government and the millers as both sides refused to show any flexibility.
The millers claimed that the administration was threatening them into opening the mills. Mr Liaqat claimed that the district and provincial governments were pressurizing them. He accused officials of the food department of seizing trucks of flour from various mills.
PFMA leader Bilal Aslam Sufi threatened to extend the strike throughout the country if the four millers were not released immediately. He said that a few government officers wanted to create a rift between the government and the millers.
According to a PFMA press release, a complete strike was observed on Friday in Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Multan, Khanewal, Vehari, Sahiwal, Shakargarh, Bhakkar, Sargodha, Okara, Kasur, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Gujrat, Faisalabad, Jhang, Sialkot, Mianwali, Gojra, Toba Tek Singh, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Jehlum, Chakwal, DG Khan, Muzaffargarh, Layyah and Rawalpindi.
Central PFMA president Niaz Ahmad urged the Punjab government to stop threatening the millers, otherwise the flour millers in other province would also go on a strike.
Meanwhile, the Punjab food minister said there was no shortage of wheat and flour in the province and the food department had sufficient stocks.
Addressing a meeting, the provincial minister said that the government had made all arrangements for smooth supply of cheap flour under the Ramazan package. He said there was no justification for the strike call given by the Flour Mills Association, saying that the government would make no compromise over the quality and price of flour.
He vowed that the government would ensure smooth supply of wheat flour in the market and no one would be allowed to create a shortage. He directed the district Nazims and DCOs to take strict action against the hoarders.
The food secretary informed the meeting that many flour mills did not participate in the strike and continued to grind wheat. The meeting was informed that 9,792 raids had been carried out to check the price hike and sale of substandard products. So far, traders have collectively been fined Rs1.3 million.