With the start of new year, the price of 20KGs flour bag was swelled to Rs2600 in open market, adversely affecting labourers, farmers and common people. A survey in flour open market in Swabi has revealed that an increase of Rs400 per 20KGs flour bag has been witnessed in Chota Lahore, Zaida, Yar Hussain, Sheikh Jana and others adjoining areas during last three days of the new year where the precious commodity was going to become out of reach of the general public.
Long queues of consumers and flour dealers were being witnessed outside the flour shops in these areas where most of them returned empty handed due to skyrocketing prices on Wednesday. “I have been waiting for flour bag since this morning and returned empty handed due to its shooting prices,” said Saqib Khan, a resident of Sheikh Jana Swabi while talking to APP.
He said it was the responsibility of provincial government of KP to provide the essential commodity to consumers at affordable prices. Saqib Khan said PTI was enjoying absolute power in Punjab and Khyber Pakthunkhwa since long and great responsibilities rest on its chief ministers to provide flour to general public on official prices.
He astonished over vast differences of prices of 20KGs flour bags in KP and Punjab markets. The office bearers of flour dealers association claimed that they were receiving the commodity from flour mills on high prices and can’t afford to provide it to consumers on the government’s fixed prices due to inflation and price hike. The traders demanded of the provincial government of KP to take stern action against flour mills who were selling flour bags to local traders, retailers.—APP
