Section 144 is in force throughout Pakistan’s Balochistan, especially in the Naseerabad division, to prevent the movement of wheat and flour from the province to other provinces, as per a notification issued by the Government of Balochistan’s Department of Food.
The initiative’s aim is to prevent wheat produced in the province from being taken out of the province so that there is no shortage of wheat and flour in the province until the next wheat production season and their prices can be maintained, it said.
It has been stated in the notification that the police levies and the administration should ensure full implementation of Section 144. It has been directed to take action against those who violate it, no matter how influential they are.
Meanwhile, Pakistan vernacular media recently reported that the prices of sugar and flour are skyrocketing once again in various districts of Balochistan including in the provincial capital Quetta.
Many districts of poverty-struck Balochistan are witnessing a rise in the prices of sugar and flour once again.
In various districts including the provincial capital Quetta, sugar is being sold from PKR 130 to PKR 200 per kilo while flour is being sold from PKR 2,600 to PKR 4,000 for 20 kg. The price of sugar is the highest in Dalbandin at PKR 200 per kg, while the highest price of flour is recorded at PKR 4000 per 20 kg in Sahabatpur.
Notably, Pakistan has been reeling under the flour crisis even at the time of Ramazan. Earlier, in May the Flour Mills Association of Pakistan announced an indefinite shutdown of all mills.
