Govt given one week to stop supply of subsidized wheat to millers

DROSH: Speakers at an all parties protest gathering here today asked the government to stop supplying subsidized wheat to millers and restore the past practice of selling wheat at sale points across Chitral to benefit the common man.

The protest gathering was chaired by Jamaat-e-Ismali Chitral chief Molana Jamshed Ahmed while former JUI member of Provincial Assembly Molana Abdur Rehman was the chief guest. The gathering was moderated by social and political figure Irshad Mukarrar.

Speaking on the occasion, Molana Rehman, Molana Jamshed, former district nazim Maghfirat Shah, Drosh tehsil chairman Shahzada Khalid Pervez, Sifat Zarin, Muhammad Wazir, Ghazi Khan Wardag, Qari Nizam, Haji Muhammad Shifa and others said Chitral had been supplied subsidized wheat since the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in the 1970s.

They said wheat was provided to the people of Chitral at the rate of Punjab ie Rs57 per kg, as the transportation cost was borne by the government. But the same wheat is now being given to millers who sell flour to the consumers at the rate of Rs150 per kg, which was an injustice with the local people.

They said the mill owners should arrange wheat on their own and the government should directly provide the subsidized wheat to the locals at the sale points as was the practice in the past. 

The protesters gave the government a week, till next Friday, to fulfill their genuine demand otherwise a protest movement would be launched across Chitral by first blocking the main road to Chitral at Ashiret.