Barrister Saif Slams Punjab Over Wheat, Flour Transport Ban -

Times Report

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former advisor to the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Barrister Dr. Muhammad Ali Saif, has said that the Punjab government has yet to respond positively to the letter sent by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government regarding the supply of wheat and flour.
He said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, in its official communication, had demanded the immediate lifting of the ban imposed by Punjab on the inter-provincial transportation of wheat and flour in order to provide relief to the people. However, instead of showing cooperation, the Punjab government has chosen to remain silent.
Barrister Dr. Saif stated that the ban on wheat and flour was a clear violation of Article 151(1) of the Constitution of Pakistan, which guarantees free trade and movement of goods among the provinces.
He regretted that rather than responding to the official correspondence, the Punjab government has resorted to baseless allegations through the media — an attitude that only breeds mistrust and fuels provincial division.
Dr. Saif said that the Punjab and federal governments, through their misguided policies, are promoting provincialism, which poses a serious threat to national unity and cohesion.
He added that driven by political hostility towards Imran Khan, the Sharif family has put national security at stake. As a result of the federal government’s flawed policies, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has once again become a victim of terrorism.
Highlighting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s sacrifices, Barrister Saif said that the province has fought on the frontline against terrorism, protecting the rest of the country from the flames of violence and extremism. “Instead of strengthening Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the federal and Punjab governments are deliberately weakening it,” he said.
He warned that weakening Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was tantamount to weakening the entire country. “If the fire of terrorism spreads beyond Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it will engulf the whole nation,” Dr. Saif cautioned.
Barrister Dr. Muhammad Ali Saif urged the federal and Punjab governments to uphold the principles of equality and cooperation among provinces, immediately lift the unconstitutional ban on the supply of wheat and flour, and prioritize public welfare over political vendettas.