DLP Report
PESHAWAR
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Central Ameer Abdul Wasi has strongly criticized the provincial government’s inaction amid the ongoing flour crisis, calling it a violation of constitutional rights and a consequence of poor planning and political negligence.
Addressing a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club (PPC) alongside JI Provincial General Secretary Sabir Hussain Awan, Abdul Wasi said that the Punjab government has imposed an unjustified ban on the supply of flour to KP, despite receiving payments from KP traders, a move he termed a clear violation of Article 151 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to trade across provinces.
He lamented that while the flour crisis deepens, the KP government remains a silent spectator, having taken no practical steps to address the issue.
“Flour has disappeared even in flood-affected areas, and prices are skyrocketing.
Yet the government sits idle while flour is sold in black and no one is held accountable,” he said.
Abdul Wasi claimed that, under IMF directives, neither the Punjab nor the KP governments purchased wheat this year, directly leading to the current crisis.
He called on the KP government to immediately purchase wheat from PASSCO, as the Punjab government has already done, and to provide available stocks to local mills, doubling their quotas to resume operations.
He also expressed concern over the declining weight of bread (roti), saying that Nanbhais (bread-makers) were seeking clarity on whether to increase prices due to flour shortages.
Abdul Wasi urged the KP government to rise above political considerations and coordinate with the federal government for the sake of the province’s people.
“The PML-N government is not just Punjab’s government, it is the government of all of Pakistan, and it must ensure equitable access to essential commodities.”
He warned that if immediate action is not taken, JI will launch a protest movement in solidarity with the people to force the government to resolve the crisis.
Meanwhile, JI General Secretary Sabir Hussain Awan strongly opposed the privatization of educational institutions in the province.
He warned the government against what he called “unconstitutional measures” and said the state’s duty was to facilitate, not deprive, its citizens.
He criticized the KP government’s “zero performance” and accused it of trying to offload its responsibilities through privatization. “Instead of abandoning education, the government should foster a competitive environment and improve facilities for students, the nation’s future,” he said.
