Islamabad: The Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter, has sounded the alarm over an “imminent collapse” of the province’s flour milling industry, following the Punjab government’s ban on the inter-provincial transportation of wheat and flour (atta).
In a formal letter to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, PFMA termed the restrictions “unconstitutional and illegal,” warning that the decision has already disrupted supplies in the wheat-deficit province. Trucks carrying wheat are being stopped at border checkpoints under the guise of “monitoring,” while transporters face FIRs, further aggravating the crisis.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, heavily reliant on Punjab’s open market to meet its wheat demand, is now witnessing rising flour prices. PFMA cited Article 151 of the Constitution, which guarantees free trade between provinces, stressing that no provincial government has the authority to block wheat movement within Pakistan.
“As a direct consequence of this ban, the flour milling industry is on the brink of collapse,” the association warned, adding that if barriers are not removed, the crisis could trigger widespread unemployment and a sharp surge in flour prices within days.
The industry leaders accused Punjab of diverting wheat consignments—already paid for by KPK-based mills—to Punjab’s mills at government-fixed rates, calling the move “illegal and dishonest.” They argue the unilateral decision will:
Create a shortage of flour and by-products such as atta, maida, and suji in KPK markets.Inflict heavy financial losses on KPK flour mills Put thousands of workers at risk of losing their jobs.
Deepen disparity by denying the people of KPK access to basic food commodities.
Trigger skyrocketing food prices, placing an unbearable burden on the public.
The association and leading flour mills, including Dera Ismail Khan–based Ultimate Whole Foods, urged the provincial government to take up the issue with Punjab on an urgent basis.
“Such a step is essential to overcome the crisis and prevent a shortage of wheat and wheat products in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” PFMA Chairman Muhammad Naeem Butt appealed, calling on the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, and Food Department officials to ensure uninterrupted wheat supplies at stable prices
