The Punjab Food Authority has seized thousands of tonnes of illegally stocked wheat across the province during a series of raids. The authority seized 10,000 wheat bags from Dera Ghazi Khan, 3,000 from Bahawalnagar and 2,000 bags from Layyah. A total of 20,000 bags were also impounded from a warehouse in Multan. All the warehouses where bags were found have been shut down and their owners have been arrested.
The government will lift the duty on importing wheat in order to control soaring flour prices in the country, according to PTI leader Jahangir Khan Tareen. He further added that the price will drop once the wheat enters the market. Prime Minister Imran Khan tasked Tareen and National Food Security and Research Minister Khusro Bakhtiar with resolving the issue.
The prices of wheat and sugar have increased in Karachi, a kilogram of wheat now costs Rs46 and sugar prices have increased by Rs1.5 per kg. The price of a 100kg bag of wheat has increased by Rs300 in the open market while in the wholesale market, a bag of wheat now costs Rs4,600