Export of food items main reason of inflation: Minister

Later, Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) rejected the proposed wheat release policy prepared by the Punjab and demanded the government to lift the inter-provincial ban on the wheat and flour movement and fix unified rates of flour across the country.

Addressing the conference, Chairman Pakistan Flour Mills Association Naeem Butt said that the Punjab chief minister, chief secretary and secretary food were trying to make the flour millers scapegoat by fixing the rates of flour according to their own will, which is injustice. “The illegal bans must be lifted and the government should fix unified rates of flour across Pakistan,” he demanded. Chairman PMFA Punjab branch Habib-ur-Rehman Leghari and Chairman Sindh branch Iqbal Daood were also present on this occasion besides a large number of other flour millers. Naeem Butt said the Punjab government had planned to issue wheat quota to the flourmills at Rs 580 per 40-kg while in Sindh and NWFP provinces wheat would be released at Rs 750. “This is not right. The rates of flour must be unified in all the four provinces,” he said. He also called upon the flour millers to leave the differences and be united to achieve the goals.