By Fazal Nabi
NOWSHERA: Haji Ikram Shah, General Secretary of the Flour Dealers Association of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and President of the Nowshera District, has held both the Punjab government and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government responsible for the current flour crisis.
In an interview with Pakhtun Digital, he stated that the government’s poor policies have exacerbated the wheat crisis. He pointed out that the Punjab government has hoarded its wheat reserves, leading to an artificial shortage in the market. As a result, the prices of wheat and flour are rising daily, severely impacting common consumers.
Haji Ikram Shah reminisced that in the past, during market crises, the Flour Dealers Association, flour mill owners, and local administration would come together to set prices, which stabilised the market and provided relief to consumers. Unfortunately, he noted, the current government has failed to restore this effective system.
He emphasised that the wheat business is now largely controlled by powerful mafias who deliberately create shortages and set prices arbitrarily. For instance, a 20 kg bag of flour that was previously priced at Rs 1,300 has surged to Rs 2,000, with fears of further increases in the coming days.
Haji Ikram Shah also highlighted that wheat production in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is minimal, making the region heavily dependent on wheat supplied from Punjab. When Punjab secures its wheat reserves and its farmers withdraw from cultivation, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa faces significant difficulties.
He urged the government to take immediate and effective action to address the wheat and flour crisis, crack down on hoarders and mafias, and restore a system where flour dealers, mill operators, and the administration collaborate to set prices, thereby providing some relief to the people.
