'Strict measures on cards to curb inter-provincial flour smuggling'

LAHORE: As the prices of flour were rising across the country, the Punjab Food Department has decided to take strict measures to curb the inter-provincial flour smuggling, ARY News reported on Thursday, quoting sources.

According to details, the provincial food department has decided to take strict measures including action against traders and flour mills to curb the inter-provincial smuggling of the commodity.

Sources told ARY News that a huge contingent of police have been deployed at Sadiqabad and Peshawar check posts to curb the commodity’s movement.

A huge quantity of flour was being transported from Punjab to other provinces under the guise of goods, they claimed, adding that flour was also being smuggled to Afghanistan.

Sources further claimed that the prices of wheat and flour were lower in Punjab as compared to other provinces. The mills have been directed to provide data in a bid to curb the movement, they added.

Sources claimed that the food department has decided to take strict action against traders and mill owners involved in flour smuggling.

Earlier on Tuesday, Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that the federal government was ‘behaving like a stepmother’ toward the Punjab government, especially on the wheat provision matter.

Wheat price fixed at Rs3000 for the rest of the fiscal year 2022-23, CM said. Chief Minister Punjab, in a session on Tuesday, ordered to register an official protest against the federal government for the ill-provision of wheat to the most populous province of the country.