Pakistan: Several political parties stage protests against flour shortage, inflation

Islamabad [Pakistan], January 14 : Activists of Shia Ulema Council, Pakistan Peoples Party-Shaheed Bhutto, Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party and Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan on Friday held separate demonstrations against skyrocketing inflation and shortage of flour. The demonstrations were held outside a local press club in Larkana, Dawn reported.
Workers of Shia Ulema Council and Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party took out processions and held demonstrations at the press club. The leaders of the parties raised concerns regarding the ongoing shortage of flour in the district. The leaders stressed that a few outlets were not adequate for the supply of low-priced flour to address the huge demand.
The workers of the Shia Ulema Council and Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party called on the government to take action against hoarders who were out to fleece people by selling flour at exorbitant rates, as per the Dawn report. They called it the need of the hour to implement the decision ensuring the availability of flour at a controlled price of Rs 65 at all shops.
TLP Workers led by Sajjad Hussaini marched on the city's main roads before reaching the press club in Jinnahbagh where they held a demonstration, as per the news report. Local party leaders criticised the government over its failure to give flour to people at an affordable price and stressed that people had been left at the mercy of hoarders and profiteers.
TLP Workers said that the government must ensure low-priced flour was available at all outlets and shops instead of restricting its sale to a specific number of stalls, according to Dawn.
They said that the government was least concerned about the plight of people despite residents running from pillar to post to earn their livelihood. They urged the government to ensure the sale of flour at Rs 65 per kilogram.

Activists of PPP-SB held a demonstration outside the press club and observed a hunger strike in protest against the unavailability of flour in the district, as per the news report. They stressed that Pakistan was facing an economic crisis at this juncture while people were suffering at the hands of profiteers.
On January 7, a man died in the Mirpurkhas region of Pakistan in a stampede as people were desperate to purchase flour at a subsidized price. The incident took place near the commissioner's office when two vehicles carrying 200 bags each were selling flour outside Gulistan-e-Baldia Park, The Express Tribune reported.
People gathered around the vehicles were pushing each other to take the bag as the mini-trucks were selling flour bags of 10 kg each at the rate of Rs 65 per kg, as per The Express Tribune report. Similar scenes of chaos were seen in other parts of Sindh where flour was being sold through mini-trucks or vans.
Two women and a minor girl suffered injuries when a stampede broke out outside a flour mill in Shaheed Benazirabad's Sakrand town while purchasing flour at the government rate. Prices of wheat and flour have skyrocketed amid the ongoing crisis in Pakistan.
Flour in Karachi is being sold from Rs 140 per kilogram to Rs 160 per kilogram, as per The Express Tribune report. In Islamabad and Peshawar, a 10 kg bag of flour is being sold at Rs 1,500 per kilogram while a 20-kilogram bag of flour is being sold at Rs 2,800.