KP Chief Minister Condemns Punjab’s Wheat Transport Restrictions, Orders Immediate Action
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muhammad Sohail Afridi, has strongly condemned the Punjab government’s decision to restrict the transportation of wheat and wheat flour, calling it a blatant violation of the Constitution and an infringement on the rights of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He directed the provincial Food Department to formally demand the immediate removal of all restrictions and ensure free inter-provincial movement of essential food commodities.
Presiding over a high-level meeting at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Afridi stated that using political differences to deny citizens basic necessities is unacceptable and undermines national unity. He urged the Food Department to take practical steps against hoarding and ensure the availability of essential items at officially fixed rates. All warehouses across the province are to be registered immediately.
Officials briefed the Chief Minister on the province’s current stocks and prevailing prices. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s annual wheat and flour consumption is approximately 5.3 million metric tons, of which only 1.5 million metric tons is locally produced. The remaining requirement is supplied from Punjab and other provinces. At present, around 273,000 metric tons of wheat are available in provincial godowns.
The recent surge in flour prices, officials said, is primarily due to restrictions imposed by Punjab. Regarding sugar, KP’s annual requirement is about one million tons—30 percent for domestic use and 70 percent for commercial consumption—with current stocks at roughly 480,000 metric tons.
The Chief Minister reaffirmed his government’s commitment to safeguarding the welfare and rights of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, emphasizing that no political obstacle will be allowed to compromise food security or exploit citizens for partisan gains.
