Punjab slashes flour prices as part of relief package

The Punjab government slashed on Thursday the rate of 10 kg of flour from Rs650 to Rs490, as part of its provincial government relief package, announced Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz.

Taking to Twitter, CM Punjab said that in the first phase, the price of 10kg flour is being reduced from Rs650 to Rs490 i.e. a reduction of Rs160.

Hamza said that the government is giving Rs200 billion subsidy on flour, which is a primary food component.

“The politics of looting, anarchy, division and self-promotion are not our focus but to give relief to the people and cure the sufferings of the last 4 years,” he added.

Meanwhile, addressing a press conference, Hamza slammed the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for creating fertilizer shortages and supplying low-quality seeds to farmers, reported Aaj News.

PM Shehbaz calls for achieving wheat procurement targets by June 1

He said that despite hurdles, the government has managed to procure 4.5 million tons of wheat in the international market, which is being sold at $500 per ton or Rs4,000 per maund.

"However, we have procured wheat at Rs2,200 per maund,” he said, adding that the province has procured enough wheat stocks to last a year.

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had expressed concerns over non-fulfilment of wheat procurement targets by the provinces and fixed June 1 as the deadline for them to complete the procurement.

Meanwhile, Hamza also commented on the provincial political crisis and Omar Safraz Cheema's removal as Punjab governor. He said that in the absence of a governor, the speaker is meant to become acting governor, but this has not yet happened and there has been no cabinet in Punjab for one and half months.