Nanbais demand increase in roti price.

Byline: Ali Hazrat Bacha

PESHAWAR -- Despite ban on supply of wheat flour to Afghanistan, the Nanbais here still complain about high price of 85kg flour bag, saying they are paying Rs1,200 more for the same. They urged the provincial government to ensure availability of the commodity at a reasonable price in Peshawar markets or allow increase in the roti price.

However, Provincial Minister for Information Shaukat Yousufzai claimed on Sunday that the price of 20kg flour bag had been decreased in the market and thus the restriction on its movement was removed.

'There is complete ban on supply of wheat flour to Afghanistan,' the minister said. He said that the dealers should point out who was taking money from them at Attock Bridge, adding that the chief minister himself wanted to intervene in case if the issue was not resolved.

The flour dealers and Nanbais complained that local flour millers were not supplying wheat flour to them and thus there would be no utility of increasing the quota of mills.

Urge govt to ensure availability of flour in markets

'The government had fixed the price of 130-gram roti at Rs10 some time back when the price of 85kg bag of wheat flour was Rs4,000, but currently the same bag of flour is available at Rs5,200. As such, it is difficult for tandoor owners to follow the price list,' said Khaista Gul, president of Peshawar Nanbais Association, while talking to this correspondent.

He said that Nanbais in Peshawar demanded supply of 10,000 flour bags of 85kg each and the government had promised to fulfil this demand, but the supply was delayed due to sit-in of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam in Islamabad.

He said that flour price was increased due to restriction on its movement from Punjab to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as every truck...