20 kg bag of flour, has jumped from Rs 2,300 to Rs 2,800

QUETTA: Abdul Malik, a resident of Saryab, is among hundreds of people who queue for hours at the provincial capital’s railway station chowk to get flour at a subsidised rate.

“I leave my house at 6 am daily and arrive at 7 am at the railway station chowk to get flour, despite facing many obstacles getting here in the cold,” he told Bol News, adding that even after arriving, many people are unable to get flour due to long queues.

According to Abdul Malik, the flour shortage is causing serious problems for low-income families like his. “I am not alone in this; there are thousands like me who are suffering from price hikes and flour shortages,” he said.

In Quetta, government flour points have evolved into mobile shops, with citizens queuing from morning to evening to purchase flour bags. A video of government flour being sold from a moving vehicle has gone viral, showing motorcycle riders purchasing flour from it. People are forced to buy cheap flour while putting their lives in danger because selling flour in a moving vehicle risks a serious accident. Protests erupted on the province’s major thoroughfares shortly after the Balochistan Minister of Food Department announced that the province’s wheat stocks had been depleted.

As per reports, women and children have blocked Quetta’s busy Zarghoon road in order to obtain wheat. Utility stores have also failed to provide flour to the masses, and long lines can be seen at various ‘Saasta aata scheme’ points, to get a bag, but many have failed, and blocked the roads in protest. In two days, the price of a 20 kg bag of flour, has increased from Rs 2300 to Rs 2800.

Food Minister Zamarak Khan Piralizai stated that there is no stock of wheat left and the crisis is worsening, he added that despite Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi’s promise to provide 600,000 bags of wheat, not a single bag was sent to the province. “Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco) sent us 200,000 sacks of wheat after we contacted the federation. We used 500,000 sacks of wheat in four months,” he elaborated.

The food minister stated that 85 per cent of Balochistan is dependent on wheat from Punjab and Sindh.  The ban on wheat imports imposed by Punjab and Sindh has exacerbated the situation, with 400,000 sacks needed immediately or the flour crisis will worsen. He stated that the province’s treasury is empty and that they are unable to provide subsidies. “Balochistan owes Rs 30 billion under the NFC, under the responsibility of the federation; if we are not helped, we will protest against the federal and Punjab governments,” he added.

“The federal government distributed 400,000 flour bags to utility stores, but no share was given to Balochistan,” Piralizai lamented, adding that the damaged wheat in Naseerabad belonged to Passco and local landowners.

“If the government does not provide official flour, the province’s flour price will reach Rs 20,000 per 100 kgs,” said Rahim Kakar, President of the Balochistan Trade Union. He stated that the government has yet to provide a single sack of flour; they are importing flour from Punjab on their own, and the government should put a stop to warehouse raids in the name of hoarding.

If there is more pressure, the supply of flour will be cut off, according to Kakar.

“In the open market, a 100 kg bag of flour is sold for Rs 14,000,” said Haji Muhammad Aamir, President of the Balochistan Flour Dealers Association. He said that the government should make it easier to import flour from Sindh and Punjab.

Farah Azim Shah, a Balochistan government spokeswoman, stated that action is being taken against those who store wheat and sell flour at high prices. Taking action, the Quetta administration has also arrested eleven people.

“Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, Chief Minister of Balochistan, has demanded that those who hoard wheat and sell flour at exorbitant prices be dealt with harshly. During the downtime, warehouses are being sealed. CM believes that the wheat crisis will be resolved soon and that hoarders will be dealt with with an iron fist,” Shah added. She stated that the federal government has been requested to provide wheat at the official rate and which will help the province to get out of the problem. People’s basic needs will be met to the greatest extent possible as the provincial government attempts to solve public problems, and every impediment to the resolution will be removed.

Provincial Secretary of Food, met with Commander 12 Corps Lieutenant General Asif Ghafoor. During the meeting, officials discussed the province’s flour shortage. On this occasion, Commander 12 Corps contacted National Food Security as well as Passco to inform them of the province’s wheat crisis. Passco and National Food Security officials announced an immediate sale to end the shortage. Sources claimed that the flour shortage in Balochistan will gradually subside over the next two to three days. Balochistan requires 1.2 million sacks of flour per month, according to Haji Hashim, president of the All Baluchistan Flour Dealers Association.

Deputy Commissioner Quetta Shahak Baloch stated that operations against wheat and flour hoarders in the city are ongoing on a daily basis. All assistant commissioners (ACs) are involved in raids and operations in various areas as part of a comprehensive strategy. Over 20 people have been arrested for storing wheat and flour, and numerous warehouses have been sealed.