Dr. Yasmin Raashid advisor to PTI Chairman said the wheat flour price has increased by Rs15 per a 20kg bag while Sharif Brothers are claiming that inflation in the country dips in September 2015. Sharif Brothers have claimed lower inflation rate, but prices are all higher in the market and the fact of the matter is poor public did not notice any difference in the prices in this rising inflation yet she added. She said Sharif Brothers are again fooling the nation with cooked up figures. If inflation has dipped then why prices of daily use items are soaring up in the market she questioned? She said it is a shame for the Punjab government as it has failed to control the price of wheat flour. The shameless ruling elite has no idea that 60 percent population of the country is living below the poverty line and struggling to meet both ends she added. She said wheat flour price increase of Rs15 per a 20kg bag is a phenomenal increase for the poor and marginalized segment of the country.
PTI Information Secretary Andleeb Abbas said 4.9 million ton wheat is lying with the government but unfortunately Punjab Food Department has been fully cooperating in this loot with hoarders and millers over the policy of issuance of wheat. Millers attributed the price-hike to wheat shortage in open market while Punjab Food Department is not ready to release the wheat to millers she added. She said in the open market, wholesalers are reluctant to release stocks after anticipating crisis and in case Punjab Food Department keeps delaying release of wheat the only victim in the whole episode are the poorest of the poor. If an immediate action is not taken then a crisis like situation may hit the market she warned. She said Sharif Family has no idea of the suffering of the poor. For Sharif Family everything is available on the expense of public money as shamelessly helicopters are being used to transport the food for the royal family and personal cooks travels with Badshah Salamat on chartered planes when Badshah Salamat visits foreign countries she added. She said a real inflation decrease would happen if supply side bottlenecks and associated infrastructure were developed in the country, as window dressing policy would not help the poor.