Afridi assails Punjab govt for placing ban on wheat, flour transportation to KP

PESHAWAR: KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has strongly condemned Punjab government’s move to restrict the transportation of wheat and wheat flour, calling it a blatant violation of the Constitution and an attack on the rights of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He directed the provincial Food department to write a letter to the Punjab government, demanding the immediate removal of all restrictions and ensuring the free movement of wheat and flour across the provincial borders.

The chief minister said that hiding behind political differences to deprive citizens of basic necessities is unacceptable and contrary to the spirit of national unity.

Presiding over a meeting of the Food department at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Wednesday, the chief minister directed the department to take pragmatic steps against all types of hoarding and ensure the availability of essential food items at officially fixed rates. He also ordered the immediate registration of all warehouses across the province.

During the meeting, the chief minister was briefed on the province’s current wheat and sugar stocks and prevailing prices. Officials from the Food department informed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s annual wheat and flour consumption stands at approximately 5.3 million metric tons, of which only 1.5 million metric tons are locally produced.

The remaining requirement is met through supplies from Punjab and other provinces. At present, around 273,000 metric tons of wheat are available in godowns across the province.

The meeting was informed that the recent surge in flour prices was primarily caused by restrictions imposed by Punjab on the transportation of wheat and flour to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Regarding sugar, officials noted that the province’s annual requirement stands at around one million tons—30 percent for domestic use and 70 percent for commercial consumption. Currently, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has about 480,000 metric tons of sugar in stock.

The chief minister reaffirmed his government’s commitment to protecting the rights and welfare of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stating that no political obstacle will be allowed to endanger food security or exploit citizens for partisan gains.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025.