The neighboring country Pakistan is suffering from a worsening flour crisis. Only essential commodity is being sold in the black market which makes it very difficult for the locals to arrange proper food. As per the reports from The News International, government is ignoring the issue and the flour millers are hiking up the prices leading to a rise in the prices of 20-kilogram flour bags which cost around 2850-3050 Pakistani Rupees (PKR) in the open market.Failure of Punjab governmentIn stark contrast, back in 2018, when Nawaz Sharif was the Prime Minister, a 20-kilogram bag of flour was available for just PKR 790. However, due to the failure of the Punjab government, the flour mill owners have got the liberty to exploit impoverished citizens.The Punjab government has not released its wheat quota to millers for the first time in history forcing the public to purchase flour at higher prices from the black market.Millers halts supplyThe News International reported that flour mill owners halted the supply of flour to utility stores in Rawalpindi and Pakistans capital for more than a week. The stores run by the government used to sell a 10-kilogram bag of flour for Rs 1420, but now its not available in the stores. The Deputy Director (Food) for the Rawalpindi Region, Ghulam Abbas Mehar said that the Punjab governments delay in releasing the wheat quota to millers is the root cause for the public to purchase flour at outrageous prices.The indigent society members have now knocked on the door of Pakistans Supreme Court for intervention in this dire situation. People found themselves desperately searching for essential food items while the government seemingly ignored the circumstances.
