Court orders to de-seal Tandoors, release arrested workers 

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered the release of people arrested for selling roti at higher prices and de-seal the sealed Tandoors, ARY News reported.

As per details, the court heard a petition against the new prices of roti and has ordered the Deputy Commissioner to fix the price of naan in consultation with Naanbais. The court directed the authorities to submit a report on the new prices within three days.

Justice Tariq Jahangiri, while hearing the petition, remarked that the court will not only protect the rights of the poor but also ensure that the prices of roti and naan are fair.

The state counsel said that the Advocate General would assist the court in this matter. If he fails to appear, the court will not wait for him, Justice Jahangiri warned.

The price of roti is not a problem for the rich, but for the poor, it is a matter of survival, Justice Jahangiri observed.

Also read: Nanbais strike: Several tandoors sealed in Rawalpindi

Earlier, Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended the notification of slashing prices of naan and roti in the federal capital.

In the plea, the Naanbai Welfare Association maintained that the controller general cut the price of roti from Rs25 to Rs16 and naan from Rs30 to Rs20.

The association maintained that the concerned authorities did not take them on board before making the decision. He told the court that the decision was made without consulting them and that the new prices were too low.

Prior to this, the district administration of Rawalpindi sealed dozens of tandoors and seized the equipment for observing strike against the government’s rate of naan and roti.

Nanbais locked horns with the provincial government after Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz reduced the prices of naan and roti across the province.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the first female chief minister announced that the Punjab government has reduced the prices of roti (flat bread made in tandoor) and fixed it at Rs16.

The new price of roti will come into effect immediately.