Pakistan: Balochistan province sends SOS as it runs out of wheat

Balochistan [Pakistan], January 9 (ANI): Amid the rising inflation in Pakistan, the southwestern province of Balochistan is facing a severe shortage of wheat.
Despite an SOS sent by the provincial government a day earlier, no consignment of wheat reached the province on Sunday, the Dawn newspaper reported on Monday.
During a press briefing on Saturday night, Food Minister Zamarak Khan Piralizai said that the food department had run out of its wheat stock and called for help from other provinces and the Centre. "We are facing a very serious crisis and need 600,000 bags of wheat on an emergency basis," he said as he sent an SOS to the federal and provincial governments of Punjab and Sindh.
Blaming the Sindh and Punjab governments for this crisis, the minister said Balochistan needed immediate wheat supply to deal with the worsening situation.
Despite the promise to provide 6 lakh wheat bags by Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi, he added that not a single bag was sent to the province. "Islamabad, Punjab and Sindh have refused to provide wheat to Balochistan," he was quoted as saying by Dawn.
Piralizai said the Balochistan government has no money to provide subsidies on flour and urged the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation to supply 2 lakh bags of wheat at reduced rates.
He said teams have been formed to conduct raids against wheat and flour hoarders across Balochistan and promised that the government will not allow anyone to exploit the situation. "The federal government has given 400,000 flour bags to utility stores but no share was given to Balochistan," he regretted.
Last week, The Express Tribune reported that the flour rate has risen to Pkr 150 per kilogram in Rawalpindi's open market.
In the open market, the official quota of wheat was low and wheat was being sold at Pkr 5,400 per maund, according to Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA).
Rawalpindi's Naanbai Association has said that if the prices are not brought under control, the association will be forced to increase the rate of roti by Pkr 5 again, The Tribune report said. (ANI)