Flour Shortage Looms as Mills Go on Nationwide Strike
Urban consumers in Pakistan are facing the threat of a flour shortage as the All-Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) has initiated a nationwide strike in protest against a newly imposed withholding tax. Small grinding units and flour dealers have also joined the strike, causing disruptions in flour supply across various cities.
PFMA Chairman Asim Raza has stated that the strike will continue until the association’s demands are met. The withholding tax, which makes flour mills withholding agents for tax collection, is expected to raise flour prices by Rs8 per kilogram.
The strike has brought wheat grinding and supply to a standstill nationwide, affecting flour availability and related products. With complaints of financial strain due to rising costs, the millers are calling for the government to reconsider and withdraw the tax on wheat products to prevent further price hikes.
The strike has already impacted supply in Lahore, Karachi, Hyderabad, Peshawar, and Balochistan, with grocery stores and restaurants feeling the effects. A dialogue between the government and flour mills is necessary to address the issue and avert a prolonged crisis.
Image Source: Dawn