Flour crisis feared in Sindh as countrywide millers’ strike enters its third day

There are fears of a flour crisis developing in Sindh, including Karachi, as the countrywide strike by flour millers against the imposition of withholding tax in the federal budget entered its third day on Saturday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Yesterday addressing an emergency meeting of Sindh’s flour millers in Karachi, Flour Mills Sindh Circle Chairman Chaudhry Amir Abdullah vowed to continue the struggle come what may. “The very fact that all flour mills’ owners from the province are present at today’s meeting is a proof of our unity,” he said, adding, “We will remain on strike as long as our demands are not met.”

Chaudhry Amir said that despite the passage of two days, the government had not made any contact with the flour millers for negotiations.  

On the other hand, labourers have been rendered jobless as flour mills are shut across Sindh.

Flour mills’ owners had gone on strike on Thursday morning on the call given by the Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA), saying they would not relent until the government withdrew newly imposed taxes.

Earlier, the Association had given a call for the strike on July 6 for Thursday for an indefinite time period after their talks with the government failed.

They had given five days to the government to withdraw the taxes.

What could be termed a sudden policy shift, the Shehbaz Sharif government on Friday revoked its March order, banning the export of flour made from imported wheat amid a nationwide strike by millers.

At the same time, a ban on wheat imports was imposed, which came too late for the country, particularly for farmers in Punjab who were protesting against unnecessary wheat imports despite a bumper crop.

Reporter: Basim Iftikhar