PESHAWAR: Following the daylong shutter down strike by nanbais (bakers), the district administration on Thursday agreed to increase roti price from Rs10 to Rs15.

The agreement came during a meeting between the officials of the administration and representatives of the nanbai association.

Nanbai association president Haji Mohammad Iqbal told Dawn that the strike had been called off after the association’s successful negotiations with the district administration over roti price.

Residents suffer due to daylong shutter down strike

He said both the roti weight and price had been increased.

“The roti, whose weight has been increased from 150gm to 190gm, will sell at Rs15,” he said.

Earlier in the day, nanbais observed a shutter down strike to demand increase in the official roti price citing higher rates of flour, fuel and power as the reason.The office-bearers of the Nanbais Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa monitored nanbais in the city to ensure the strike’s success.

The residents suffered due to the shutter down strike. As most naibai shops were closed, some roti sellers charged people Rs20-Rs30 each in Saddar area.

Association president Haji Mohammad Iqbal told Dawn that his organisation had demanded increase in roti price in proportion to hike in flour, electricity and gas rates.

He said the nanbais had demanded Rs15 for 150 grammes dough (roti) but the administration was unwilling to meet the demand.

“We will continue the strike until the acceptance of our demands,” he said.

Haji Iqbal said though the government had increased the rates of flour, natural gas, electricity and petroleum products, it didn’t allow nanbais to revise roti price.

Association general secretary Rahim Safi told reporters that nanbais didn’t want to create problems for people but they couldn’t do business under the current circumstances, especially at the current unreasonably low official roti rate.

He asked the district administration to revise roti price in light of hike in flour, gas and power rates and warned if the demand wasn’t met, the strike would continue.

Mr Rafi said the natural gas was not available in some areas, so nanbais had to use gas cylinders but the administration had begun conducting raids and arresting nanbais for using liquefied petroleum gas. Some nanbais said the rate of a 80kg flour bag had gone up from Rs2200 to Rs3400, so they couldn’t afford to follow the official roti price list.

They also held a demonstration at Rampura Gate and shouted slogans.

The protesters complained about higher firewood price. The wholesalers of Rampura Gate flour market said there was no ‘consistency’ in flour price.

They said new taxes and increase in transportation charges and power and gas tariff had led to increase in flour price.

Our correspondent from KOHAT adds: Naibais observed a complete shutter down strike in Kohat district as well.

President of the association Laal Mohammad said naibais could not sell roti for Rs10 due to higher production costs.

He said the government should either withdraw new taxes otherwise nanbais would sell roti for Rs20.

Meanwhile, the office-bearer of Mushtarika markets association and president of Jinnah Plaza, Qari Fateh Mohammad announced that the traders would observe a complete shutter down strike on July 13 against the imposition of new taxes.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2019