ISLAMABAD, Jan 9: The government on Wednesday claimed that the prevailing country-wide wheat flour crisis would be over within next 48 hours.

“The demand of flour has gone down in the country as supply of wheat to the mill owners has been increased,” caretaker minister for food and livestock Prince Isa Jan Baloch said in a statement.

The statement of the minister came at the time when the entire country is in a grip of severe atta crisis and people are striving hard to get this commodity. Wheat flour prices have soared to all time high these days as it was selling from Rs25 per kg Rs35 per kg against its ex-mill rate of Rs13 to Rs17.

It is a general perception that the government had completely failed to overcome the crisis but making tall claims that the situation would be brought under control in two days.

In Islamabad, Chief Commissioner Islamabad Hamid Ali Khan said in different areas of the capital various sale points had been established under the supervision of magistrates to ensure easy access of the people to the flour.

These sale points were established at Aabpara, Sitara Market, Peshawar More, Karachi Company, Bahara Kahu, Tarnol and Golra.

Presiding over a meeting the chief commissioner called for making more effective the mobile service and sale points to address the grievances of the citizens regarding flour shortage in the federal capital.

The meeting was called to review the steps taken to provide flour to the citizens on controlled rates.

“All necessary steps have been taken to ensure no flour shortage takes place in the capital,” the chief commissioner claimed.

He said magistrates and district food controllers were monitoring the markets in rural and urban areas to ensure provision of flour to the people.

“But, where there is complaints about shortage, we provide truckloads of flour there,” he said.

Warning stern actions against the hoarders, Hamid Ali Khan said the teams comprising magistrate had started strict monitoring of flour mills, dealers and markets to curb hoarding and profiteering.

“We’ve categorically directed the flour mills and dealers that people shouldn’t have any complaints about flour shortage in Islamabad,” he said.

Meanwhile, District Food Controller Islamabad Muhammad Afzal after visiting the arrangements for provision of flour in Bahara Kahu, Tarlayee, Tarnol, Noorpur Shahan, Aabpara, Sitara Market, Karachi Company, G-9, G-10 and G-7 said no shortage was reported in those areas.

In Rawalpindi, the city district government has decided to strictly monitor the supply of wheat flour, and special price magistrates have been given the task to carry out monitoring of fair price shops and Atta dealers.

The price magistrates have been asked to submit their reports to the district coordination officer on a daily basis whether wheat flour was being supplied to the public or being smuggled.

The district government has set up 96 fair price shops and claimed that fifty bags of Atta were being supplied to them on a daily basis. A complaint cell has been set up in the office of District Officer Revenue where people can register their complaints against the non-availability of wheat flour at telephone number 9270774.

In addition 54 sale points have also been set up in the city. The sale points are located at Committee Chowk, Office of Union Council No 9, Bangash Colony, Dhoke Ratta, Octroi 22, Dhamial Road, Mohalla Akalgarh, Tench Bhatta, Dhoke Kala Khan, Sadiqabad, Pindora, Adyala Road, Khawaja Corporation Chowk, Rehmatabad, Dheri Hasanabad, Tahli Mohri, Mohallah Raja Sultan near Nek Alam Mosque, Mohallah Babu Lal Hussain Road, Behari Colony, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed Road, Dhoke Syedan, Morgah, Chaklala, Shah Khalid Colony, Workshopi Mohallah, Dhoke Dalal, Commercial Market, Sir Syed Chowk, Church Road, Bohar Bazaar, Dhoke Kashmirian, Eidgah Mohallah near T.B. Hospital, Churr Chowk, Double Road, Jhanda Chichi, Chota Bazaar, Hathi Chowk, Khanna Road, Dhoke Hassu, Fauji Colony, Gujar Khan, Kahuta, Wah Cantt and Taxila. Three each sale points at Wah Cantt and Taxila were already operating, and 500 bags of wheat flour were being sent to each sale point through trucks on daily basis.

Meanwhile, two trucks loaded with bags of wheat flour were impounded by the City District Government at the check post at Taxila. A case has been registered against the flour mill concerned.