The acute shortage of wheat has been a cause of the recent crisis in Pakistan. India’s neighbor has been facing one of its worst-ever flour crises amid a shortage of wheat. Reasons behind Pakistan’s wheat crisis.
The prices of wheat flour, which is one of the key constituents of the staple diet of people in Pakistan, have skyrocketed amid the ongoing crisis. In Karachi, flour is being sold for Rs 140/kg-160/kg. Meanwhile, in Islamabad and Peshawar, a 10kg bag of flour is being sold at Rs 1,500, and a 20kg bag at Rs 2,800.
In Punjab province, the prices of flour have been increased to Rs 160/kg by the mill owners. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a 20-kg flour bag is being sold for Rs 3100 after the government failed to control the price of the stable.
The high demand for wheat flour in the country has also been causing clashes and chaos. Stampedes were reported from several areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan provinces due to the crisis.
Tens of thousands spend hours daily to get the subsidized bags of flour that are already short in supply in the market. Chaotic scenes are often witnessed as people gather around vehicles pushing each other as the mini-trucks and vans escorted by armed guards go about distributing the flour. A number of clashes have been reported at flour dealers and tandoors,’ ANI reported.
Reason for the crisis:
Government’s failure to figure out the import estimates of wheat can be termed a significant factor leading to the crisis.
According to media reports, the clash between the federal and Punjab governments was responsible for the ongoing wheat crisis in Pakistan.
The Punjab Food Department was unable to properly estimate and make a note of the requirement of wheat to be imported.
“Balochistan did not receive the required stock of wheat,” said Achakzai. According to Achakzai, Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi had promised to send the complete stock of wheat, however, he did not fulfill his commitment.
He said that Balochistan was 85 percent dependent on Punjab and Sindh for wheat and added that both provinces had imposed a ban on the export of the commodity.
