QUETTA: Balochistan has asked Punjab and Sindh to lift the ban on inter-provincial movement of wheat to help it resolve the serious crisis of flour shortage in the province.

The demand was made at a meeting held on Tuesday on the directives of the chief minister to review the wheat and flour situation in Balochistan. It was presided over by CM’s principal secretary Imran Gichki.

The meeting decided to take strict measures to stop smuggling of the commodity as there are reports that wheat and flour are being smuggled to Afghanistan through infrequent routes.

Food Secretary Ayaz Mandokhail, while briefing the meeting, said the shortage of wheat and flour was caused by the ban on inter-provincial movement of the commodity by the Punjab and Sindh governments, as well as non-fulfilment of promises made by them to supply wheat to Balochistan.

“We are making all-out efforts to restore flour supply from Punjab and Sindh,” Mr Mandokhail said, adding that the Balochistan government has finalised arrangements to procure 20,0000 wheat bags from the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco) on government rates, and the first consignment of 10,000 bags would reach Quetta over the next couple days.

The meeting was told that the border districts of Balochistan with Iran were already getting wheat flour and other essential items from Iran.

The meeting decided to set up more sale points in Quetta and other districts with the cooperation of flour millers for smooth availability of wheat flour to the people at government rates. “All measures are under way to balance the demand and supply of flour according to the requirement of the market,” the meeting was told.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2023