24 flour mills sealed

We will be left with no other option but to shutdown the millers all over the Punjab if the govt did not stop what he said, the so-called crackdown.

He further said that the govt had also cancelled the permits of flour mills situated in DG Khan district, which allows the millers to supply flour to NWFP and Balochistan provinces.

‘So we have increased the flour price in DG Khan district from Rs 365 to Rs 450 per 20-kg bag. The new rates will be applicable from Sunday (today)’, he added.

Leghari further said that they would increase the flour price in every district where the govt would cancel the permits of the flour mills. If the govt will attempt to take any action against the millers, we will shut down the mills across the Punjab, he said.

The sources said that the provincial govt launched the crackdown against the flour millers on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif late on Friday night and sealed 24 flour mills in the province.

According to the sources, the Food Department officials along with armed policemen carried out the raids and sealed the flour mills found involved in hoarding and supply substandard flour to the market.

The govt launched the crackdown following the flour millers and the Punjab govt held a series of meetings but failed to develop a consensus over the issue of flour price.

According to the insiders, the govt officials stuck to their guns over the issue of flour price and had made it clear to the millers that the flour prices would not be increased at any cost.