(January 11-2023)Former President of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Dr. Shahid Rasheed Butt on Wednesday said politicians are using flour as a political weapon to settle score, which is condemnable.
The flour crisis is the outcome of incompetence and malice of those concerned, for which the masses are paying a high price.
Shahid Rasheed Butt said that due to the low production of wheat last year, there was a fear of flour crisis in the country, but the commodity was not imported on time, providing an opportunity to profiteers.
After that, floods destroyed the agricultural economy, but despite this, wheat was not imported, due to which the profiteers raised its prices, he added.
The business leader said that at present, wheat stocks are running out in two provinces, while two provinces that produce 70% and 30% of wheat have banned its interprovincial transportation.
The central government is blaming Punjab for the crisis, while the opposition is putting all the blame on the central government.
He said that a province deliberately reduced the quota of wheat for flour mills, causing the prices of flour to rise on a daily basis, which broke the backs of the people.
Many flour millers are buying wheat from the market as they are not getting required quantity of subsidized wheat.
He said that the central government failed to import wheat in time, while the provincial governments have failed to stop the profiteers and instead of correcting the issues, statements are being made against each other.
