RAWALPINDI: Naanbais in the garrison city on Saturday assured the district administration that they will sell Roti at Rs16, but Naan at Rs20 was not possible as they said it was a bakery item.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema called office-bearers of All Pakistan Naanbais Association to his office and asked them to implement the prices of Roti and Naan fixed by the Punjab government or be ready for sealing of their tandoors and heavy fines.

He said cases would be registered against owners of tandoors violating the official price list.

The deputy commissioner said the provincial government had adopted a zero tolerance policy for those not trickling down the effects of low prices of wheat flour and petroleum products.

He made it clear that Roti would be sold at Rs16 otherwise the tandoors would be sealed and heavy fines imposed on the owners.

“The price of Roti is fixed at Rs16 and it should be available in all markets and bazaars,” he said.

He said price magistrates had been asked to check all markets in their respective areas and no negligence would be tolerated in this regard.

He said he would also conduct surprise visits to the markets, adding action would be taken against concerned officials as well as tandoor owners violating the official price list.

The association’s president Shafique Qureshi told Dawn that their delegation met the deputy commissioner and assured him that Roti would be sold at Rs16. “But we will not sell Naan at the lower rate,’ he added.

Admitting that the price of wheat flour had decreased in the open market, he said, “We were getting wheat flour at lower rates in the market but Naan is a ‘luxurious’ item and we informed the DC that Naan, Kulcha and Parathas are bakery items and the district administration had no right to fix the prices of bakery items.”

About a strike call, Mr Qureshi said that they had given the call for May 8 but after meeting the deputy commissioner the association agreed to sell Roti at Rs16 in Rawalpindi district. “But we would go on a strike if fines are imposed on tandoors in coming days.”

Last week, the Punjab government reduced the price of Roti from Rs20 to Rs16 and that of Naan from Rs25 to Rs20. However, the move was rejected by the naanbais association which said the decision was taken by the government without consultations with stakeholders.

The refusal of the tandoor owners to follow the government prices led to the detention of the association’s president along with many naanbais. Fines were also imposed on them. However, Mr Qureshi was released after the association agreed to implement official prices.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2024