Nationwide Flour Mills Strike Causes Wheat Supply Concerns
KARACHI: Karachi and other cities across Pakistan are experiencing a nationwide strike initiated by the Pakistan Flour Mills Association, halting wheat supply amid fears of a flour crisis.
Chairman of the Pakistan Flour Mills Association, South, Aamir Abdullah, announced an indefinite strike starting today, affecting flour supply across the country, including Karachi. He expressed concerns over the impact of a new withholding tax on wheat, stating that flour mills will cease operations until their demand for tax relief is met. This strike is expected to severely affect flour availability and also disrupt the supply of fodder for livestock.
In response to the strike, over 250 flour mills in all districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Peshawar, have already shut down. The closure comes in protest against recent increases in withholding taxes, which have sharply raised operating costs for flour mill owners. This first phase of the strike has already halted wheat grinding and disrupted flour supply in markets.
Banners protesting the closure and strike action have been hung on the outer doors of flour mills, while shopkeepers in markets have joined in solidarity, halting flour sales. Mohammad Naeem Butt, group leader of the Pakistan Flour Mills Association, emphasized that the strike will continue indefinitely until the federal government addresses their demands, including the abolition of the withholding tax on wheat and resolution of issues related to electricity tariffs and restrictions on wheat transport from Punjab.
The situation remains tense as stakeholders await government response, with concerns mounting over potential shortages of wheat and flour across the country.
