Flour mills across Punjab will suspend operations after the Pakistan Flour Mills Association announced a province wide strike in protest against what it described as anti industry policies, quota suspensions and alleged corruption by food department officials.
The association said wheat and flour quota permits had been suspended and mills were being sealed and fined up to Rs. 5 million over what it described as minor issues. It also alleged that officials were demanding payments for issuing permits and truck lists used for transporting wheat, flour and bran.
PFMA said it would file a reference with the Anti Corruption Establishment against the District Food Controller over an alleged demand of Rs. 150,000 for each permit. The association also criticized the appointment of a Grade 15 employee as DFC and called for his replacement with a senior official appointed on merit.
PFMA Chairman Riazullah Khan said the millers did not want to benefit from political instability and only sought to operate their businesses legally. He alleged that DFC Azhar Baloch had created what he described as a system of corruption and bribery in the issuance of transport permits.
Khan said the provincial government had introduced an online portal allowing flour mills to generate permits according to their requirements for transporting wheat and flour. However, he alleged that the authority had subsequently been transferred to the DFC in Rawalpindi Division, who allegedly demanded Rs. 100,000 to Rs. 150,000 for each permit.
The association also raised concerns over the transportation of bran, which is used as animal feed. Khan said an agreement with the Director General Food had allowed mills to provide lists of trucks for transporting bran, but alleged that the DFC had discontinued the arrangement and was demanding Rs. 100,000 to Rs. 150,000 for the lists.
Khan further said the transportation of wheat and flour to other districts and provinces had been stopped and quotas abolished. According to the association, the restrictions could increase wheat and flour prices while making transportation more difficult and expensive.
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