Dr Israr: KP Wheat Release Brings Down Flour Prices -

TIMES REPORT

PEAHAWAR: Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Food Dr Muhammad Israr Khan has said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has started releasing 2,000 metric tonnes of wheat daily from its provincial strategic reserves, a move that has begun reducing wheat and flour prices in the province.
In a video statement issued on Wednesday, Dr Israr said that 20,000 bags of wheat, each weighing 100 kilograms, were being supplied to flour mills every day to ensure the availability of affordable flour.
He said the provincial government had fixed the price of a 20-kilogram flour bag at Rs2,520 and urged consumers to monitor the quality of flour produced from government-supplied wheat. He appealed to the public to immediately report any substandard flour to the relevant authorities.
Israr warned that any flour mill found supplying substandard flour would face cancellation of its wheat quota in addition to legal action.
Dr Israr said the provincial government was utilising all available resources to ensure the supply of affordable and quality flour to the public. However, he alleged that the Punjab government’s policies had contributed to rising flour prices across the country.
He further alleged that Punjab, with the backing of the federal government, had imposed restrictions on the inter-provincial movement of wheat and flour in violation of Article 151 of the Constitution.
Special Assistant also claimed that the Punjab district administration and police were not allowing wheat and flour consignments destined for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to pass without illegal payments, adversely affecting the supply of essential food commodities.
Dr Israr urged the federal government to immediately remove what he termed illegal restrictions on the inter-provincial movement of wheat and flour or allow the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and local traders to import wheat from neighbouring countries.
He said quality wheat could be imported from nearby countries at lower prices, adding that local traders and investors would ensure quality control while the provincial government would also maintain effective oversight.
Dr Israr warned that if the federal government neither restored the free inter-provincial movement of wheat and flour nor permitted wheat imports, it would bear responsibility for any future shortages or increase in prices.