Severe shortage of wheat flour has hit the northern parts of the country as the principal staple food has totally disappeared from markets in Rawalpindi, Islamabad and surrounding areas multiplying difficulties of the people, who are already facing the worst hike in prices of essential food items.
"The skyrocketing price of wheat flour is definitely a problem itself. But what the situation we are facing today is the unavailability of wheat flour. It has completely disappeared from the market," said Muhammad Jamil while shopping for Ramazan in a market in Rawalpindi.
"I have checked the wheat flour with more than a dozen shops. But the essential food item is not available. I wonder how to get the essential item just one day ahead of the holy month," he said while standing in a busy market of Sadiqabad Rawalpindi. He said he had checked it with utility store in Khanna Pul, but even from there he was unable to get a positive response. "Traders never miss an opportunity to make undue profiteering on core food items during Ramazan," he remarked.
People say that the government has totally failed to provide any relief to the consumers despite the announcement of the Ramazan Package. On one hand, the government failed to keep the prices of essential food items in check, while on the other it could not ensure availability of such items in the market.
There is an impression that government failed to take stern action against the wheat hoarders despite knowing almost each and every hoarder in Punjab and Sindh. Some people are also of the opinion that government inaction is the result of involvement of political high ups of ruling coalition in this business.
"Today, the unavailability of flour is a big question on the government credibility. It seems that nobody in business community and industry, listen to the government. There has been a wheat crisis for the last two months or so, but the government remained stick to lip service and took no practical measure," observed Amjad Ali, a shopkeeper.
He said that from Wednesday he was trying to get flour from nearby mills. But so far, no mill committed to provide it in next two days, he added. According to official figures inflation measured through consumer price index (CPI) increased by 1.32 percent in August over the previous month of July 2007.
The food inflation is still on the higher side, which recorded a growth of 8.62pc during August 2007 over the same month last year and could go further up because of increasing wheat prices in the domestic market. The Sensitive Price Index (SPI) for the lowest income group was 7.69 percent on July 5, 7.76 percent on August 2 and 8.38 percent on September 6.
The government, which claims to win the next general elections on the basis of its performance, will not disagree with the public concerns related to prices of essential food items.
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