Flour mills in ICT postpone strike after negotiations

Islamabad: The Rawalpindi and Islamabad flour mills have postponed strike after successful negotiations with the officials of Punjab Food Department (PFD) here on Monday.

The representatives of Flour Mills Association met with Director Food Dr Umar Jahangir to resolve their issues. Director Food Dr Umar Jahangir has assured to resolve all genuine issues of flour mills to provide ‘Atta’ in cheaper prices to public.

Like other parts of the province, Rawalpindi and Islamabad flour mills had announced to observe strike against wrong policies of Punjab government that flour mills have been instructed to procure wheat from South Punjab rather district food department. All Pakistan Flour Mills Association (Punjab) President Asim Raza told ‘The News’ that we have postponed strike for a week. If government did not accept out demands, we will go to strike for an indefinite period, he warned.

He demanded the authorities to provide wheat to the flour mills in the Rawalpindi division from the local quota. He has complained about the additional payment of Rs350 per sack by the flour mills if they want topurchase wheat from South Punjab. Asim Raza said that the stock of 15-kilogram sack of flour was sent to the market to facilitate the citizens. Earlier in October, the flour mills association had threatened to go on strike, claiming that the entire quota of wheat was not being issued to the mills that could lead to a flour shortage.