Punjab''s ban on wheat still in place: Prime Minister''s directive not heeded

Ban on wheat movement by the Punjab government is still in place despite the directive by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani to do away with it what is described as an unconstitutional move, sources told Business Recorder here on Friday.
No action has yet been taken on the directive of the Prime Minister for lifting ban on the movement of wheat, sources said. On the other hand, instead of catering to the population of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, twin cities flour millers are stuffing their pockets with huge profits by selling wheat to the traders in NWFP, they added. A flour miller of Punjab told Business Recorder that the Punjab food department has stopped the flour millers from purchasing wheat from the private sector.
"We are not being provided with the daily wheat quota, and we also cannot purchase the commodity from the private sector, as the government wants to achieve its procurement target", he said. He said that some flour millers of the twin cities are daily sending almost 6,000 wheat bags of 20 kg to NWFP.
"That is why these cities are facing shortage of wheat flour in the domestic market." The prices have thus increased to Rs 375-390 from Rs 315-330 per 20 kg bag two weeks ago. The prices of wheat and flour have gone sky-rocketing. "Our flour mills are not getting the wheat as per quota, while the Punjab government has not lifted the ban as yet", a flour miller of NWFP said.
"It is true that some flour mills are sending wheat to NWFP. But this wheat is not being sold to the flour mills of NWFP. Rather it is being taken to domestic market where the prices of this essential commodity have gone up to Rs 515-525 per 20 kg, while a bag of 100 kg, that is being sold in Punjab for Rs 1560, is available here (NWFP) for Rs 2200", he said.
The high prices of wheat and flour have added to the miseries and sufferings of the poor people of NWFP and Balochistan that are already a victim of poverty. All-time high inflation rate has made the people think about how to earn their bread.
"We were really happy when the prime minister announced to lift the ban on wheat movement because in NWFP the prices of wheat had gone very high. But the situation here is still the same. Still we have to wait in long queues for our turn in front of ration depots", Amir Bukhsh, a resident of Mansehra (NWFP) told this scribe.