SUKKUR: Activists of political, social and religious parties staged rallies in a number of Sindh towns on Sunday in protest against hike in prices of petroleum products and wheat flour.

In Jacobabad, workers of several political and religious parties and members of civil society held a rally in response to call for protest issued by All Parties Committee against increase in petroleum products. The protesters marched from Shaheed Allah Bux Soomro Park to local press club where they staged a demonstration.

Local leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, National Party, Aam Insaan Tehreek, JUP-Noorani and other parties demanded immediate reversal of price hike.

They said that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government had been routinely raising prices of petroleum products and edibles since it had come to power and now the inflation had reached the extent where it had become impossible for a daily-wager to feed his family in Rs300 remuneration a day which he earned after a full day’s hard work.

They appealed to Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of unbearable price hike and callous policies of PTI government.

DADU: Daily-wage earners and low-income groups are increasingly finding it hard to feed their families after hike in flour price to Rs73 to 75 per kilo in Dadu, Khudabad, Johi, Khairpur Nathan Shah, Mehar, Radhan, Nau Goth, Bhan Syedabad, Sehwan, Sann, Kotri and Jamshoro towns.

A bag of 100 kg wheat is selling for Rs5,500 to Rs6,000 in open market hence flour mills and chakkies have increased flour price.

Shahnawaz Ahmed, a labourer, said that he could not afford to arrange three times meals for his children and demanded the Sindh government take action against unbearable increase in the flour price.

Haji Ghulam Mohammad, a donkey-cart owner, said that chakki owners were raising rate of flour at their whim. It was the second time this month the price of flour had been raised but food department had not taken any measure to control hike in flour price, he said.

Sindh Minister for Food Mukesh Chawla said that rate of 100 kg wheat bag had been raised from Rs3,687 to Rs4,875 and assured of taking action against hike in flour price.

PTI taluka president Rais Mehboob Khan Loond said that PPP government had failed to control hike in flour price in several parts of Sindh, especially in Dadu and Jamshoro districts. Hoarders were out black-marketing flour which had led to increase in flour price, he said. He said that Utility Stores Corporation had also failed to sell flour at low rate.

Meanwhile, civil society activists held a rally before Dadu press club against increase in petrol price.

MIRPURKHAS: Chakki owners and shopkeepers increased flour price from Rs65 to 75 a kilo, sending a wave of unrest through citizens.

Social and religious organisations and civil society criticised district administration for failing to maintain flour price at affordable levels while chakki owners said that since they were buying wheat from open market at high rate they were compelled to sell flour at higher price. They demanded the government provide subsidised wheat to chakkis and flour mills so as to decrease flour price.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2021