Flour mill owners threaten to go on strike

Flour mill owners threatened to go on a strike on July 11 (Thursday) against the imposition of a 2.5 percent withholding tax in the budget 2024-25, ARY News reported.

In a statement, the flour mill owners said they would shut down the mill across Pakistan from Thursday if their demands were not met.

Chairman Flour Mills Association Sindh Aamir Abdullah in his statement said they will stop the washing and grinding of the wheat from July 10 (tomorrow) and will go on a complete strike from Thursday.

He said due to increasing electricity bills, they are already facing difficulties in running their business.

Earlier, the Flour Mills Association rejected the ‘significant’ increase in taxes in the budget 2024-25, warning that the price of flour would be increased by Rs 5 to Rs 7 per kilogram.

The association’s chairman, Aamir Abdullah, warned that if the government does not withdraw the newly imposed tax, a strike may be called, which could include the closure of flour mills across the country.

“The government needs to reconsider and withdraw the tax on wheat products, withholding tax implementation will inevitably drive up prices, affecting consumers and retailers alike,” Abdullah stated.

The association estimated that the price of a 10kg flour bag will increase by Rs 50, with fine flour seeing an increase of Rs 7 per kilogram.

Other wheat products are also expected to see significant price hikes, with fine flour potentially reaching Rs 460 per sack.