The All Pakistan Flour Mills Association has announced a strike against the behavior of the food department and district administrations, under which all flour mills in Punjab will not grind flour from Wednesday.
Tahir Malik, the chairman of PFMA Punjab, informed that an attempt was made by the district administration to arrest Mian Anjum Ishaq, former chairman of the association, from a flour mill in Faisalabad.
Asim Raza, another former chairman of the association, informed that admission of assistant or deputy commissioners in flour mills would not be accepted under any circumstances.
“We will not even run the government’s subsidized flour scheme,” he announced.
According to the information available to Profit, a meeting of the association was to be held a week ago in which the group leader of the association Asim Raza Ahmad and chairman Punjab Tahir Hanif Malik were also present.
It was decided in the meeting that the mill owners would protest against the checking of flour mills started by the food department and district administration and would not supply flour in the market.
It is pertinent to mention here that checking of flour mills is going on all over Punjab and in many raids, heavy fines have been imposed on flour mill owners.
Four days ago, Deputy Commissioner Multan had sealed five flour mills and imposed fines on disruption in supply of low cost flour.
Similarly, last month, the Assistant Commissioner of Shujaabad had launched a major crackdown on wheat hoarders, which resulted in the recovery of about 8,000 bags worth over Rs20 million and notices were also issued to the owners of private warehouses and flour mills.
A senior official of the food department informed Profit that the Punjab government has ordered a complete audit of flour mills by the food department to ensure supply of low cost and quality flour to the people.
According to the said officer, crackdown has been started against flour mills in Lahore as well for misappropriation of flour supply and audit of mills has also started.
“The department has also issued the show cause notices to 6 flour mills in Lahore while by taking actions against the illegal transport of flour and wheat, three vehicles have been seized and an FIR has also been registered,” he said.
