ISLAMABAD            -       The closure of over 180 flour mills in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is likely to increase unemployment in the province as thousands of labourers associated with these mills will lose their jobs.

The All Pakistan Flour Mills Association KP Chapter has announced to close all the flour mills across the province as the supply of wheat is stopped from Punjab.

While talking to The Nation President of the association KP chapter Haji Muhammad Iqbal said that the closure of mills in KP will lead to joblessness of more than 30,000 workers.

He elaborated that the ban on wheat supply from Punjab and the alleged non-serious attitude of the KP government has worsened the situation and it will have a very bad impact on the middle class people of the province.

While answering a question, Haji Iqbal said that the ban on the wheat supply from the Pubjab government was the violation of the article 151 of the constitution of Pakistan.

Haji Iqbal also revealed that the inter-district ban on supply of wheat by the KP government was beyond thinking; adding that the poor people will be affected if things were not controlled on time.

Meanwhile, another member of the association and owner of a flour mill in KP, Haji Muhammad, told The Nation the KP government was informed of the looming crisis but still it has failed to handle it.

He lamented that the government should have held a meeting with the mills association representatives, to avert the looming crisis. 

Meanwhile, an official from KP food department said that the KP government was in regular contact with the federal government to resolve the issue with no further loss.

It is pertinent to mention here that KP is dependent for its 60 percent wheat on Punjab and the Punjab government has imposed ban on the wheat supply to KP.