Flour Crisis Looms: Permit Dispute Threatens Supply in Rawalpindi and Islamabad

A conflict over wheat procurement permits between Pakistan's flour industry and Punjab's Food Department risks severe flour shortages in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Mills may halt production if permits are not revoked, worsening supply chain issues and impacting millions of residents in these regions.

A brewing dispute between Pakistan's flour milling sector and the Punjab Food Department is threatening to unleash a flour scarcity in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Concerns have escalated after the department withdrew wheat procurement permits granted to flour mills across the Rawalpindi Division, according to reports from The Express Tribune.

The Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) has issued a stark warning: if the permits are not reinstated within 24 hours, flour production will cease, and supplies will be halted. This development, as highlighted by The Express Tribune, stems from the cancellation of procurement permits which have barred mills from accessing wheat from districts in Punjab that typically yield a surplus.

At an urgent PFMA meeting chaired by Punjab Chairman Riaz Ullah Khan, members denounced the Food Department's decision. Tensions have been exacerbated by recent protests against what industry leaders termed unfounded criminal cases and First Information Reports lodged against mill owners. The obstruction of wheat transportation into Rawalpindi Division, allegedly prompted by these protests, has jeopardized flour production.

Former PFMA Vice Chairman Raza Ahmed Shah, alongside other representatives, demanded the restoration of permits to avert suspension of operations in mills serving Islamabad and other areas. Failure to act can lead to significant disruptions in local flour markets. The association also criticized the Food Department's policies for burdening mill owners and inflating wheat prices, urging immediate governmental intervention to alleviate consumer pressure, as reported by The Express Tribune.