Flour Millers Postpone Strike for 10 Days

In a significant development, the federal government and flour mill owners have reached an agreement to resume wheat grinding across Pakistan after a three-day halt. This decision comes in view of the first 10 days of Muharram and follows assurances from the government to consider the flour millers’ demand for abolishing the withholding tax on the supply chain sympathetically.

The News reported that a consensus was reached on Saturday during a meeting in Islamabad between a four-member government delegation and representatives of the Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA). The government delegation included Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazir Tarar, State Minister for Finance Ali Pervez, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema, and FBR Chairman Amjed Zubair Tiwana. The PFMA was represented by its Chairman Asim Raza Ahmed and senior member Farrukh Shahzad.

Following the negotiations, the PFMA and the Progressive Flour Millers Group decided to resume operations from Sunday after observing a strike since July 11. An office bearer of the PFMA stated that the strike was called off after the government negotiation team assured a positive resolution by July 22.

This meeting marks a significant step towards resolving the ongoing issues in the flour milling industry. On Saturday evening, tandoor owners in the provincial capital expressed concerns about a potential scarcity of flour, which could lead to the closure of their shops in the next two to three days. They urged for a swift resolution to avoid disruptions in the sale of tandoori roti and naans, especially during Muharram-related gatherings.