PESHAWAR: The suspension of wheat and flour supply to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) by Punjab is likely to cause a flour shortage in the province and an economic impact on ordinary citizens.
According to sources, Punjab has suspended the flour and wheat supply to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa flour mills, and the stock at the government warehouses is also insufficient and likely to end in a few days.
The government documents have also revealed that 273,361 metric tons of wheat are currently stocked in the government warehouses across the province. However, from May to the end of August this year, just 50 metric tons of wheat were released.
The official document noted that the continued suspension of wheat supply to the province’s flour mills could lead to a shortage of flour in local markets, potentially triggering a price hike.
The KP food department attributed the halted supply to administrative delays and inter-provincial restrictions on wheat transport, which have disrupted the province’s ability to maintain a stable flow of wheat to mills.
The concerning flour shortage has raised alarms among consumers and traders, prompting calls for immediate intervention to release wheat stocks and avert a potential crisis across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
On the other hand, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has written a letter to the Punjab government urging it to lift the ban on wheat supply to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Following the instructions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi, the food department has written a letter to the Punjab government, urging it to lift on inter-provincial wheat and flour supply.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, under the direction of Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi, has sent an official letter to the Punjab government requesting the removal of restrictions on the supply of wheat and flour from Punjab. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been significantly impacted by Punjab’s ban on inter-provincial wheat supply, leading to disruptions in the availability of flour in the province.
According to Article 151(1), free trade between provinces is a federal guarantee, and Punjab’s decision to halt wheat supplies contradicts the principles of cooperation among federal units. In the letter, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has formally asked for the lifting of all restrictions on the free flow of wheat and flour from Punjab.
