Flour prices have surged sharply over the past two months in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rising from Rs. 75 per kilogram to Rs. 145 per kilogram, following the suspension of wheat and flour supply from Punjab.
According to market data, the price of a 20-kilogram bag of flour has jumped by Rs. 1,250 in just eight weeks. The price hike has also triggered an increase in roti rates, with 150-gram rotis now selling for Rs. 30 at tandoors across the province.
The shortage has been linked to Punjab’s decision to restrict the inter-provincial movement of wheat and flour, which has disrupted supply chains and caused severe inflationary pressure in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s markets.
In response, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has formally written to the Punjab Food Department, urging an immediate end to the transport ban. The letter, issued following a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, warned that the restriction was “deeply affecting the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” where most wheat and flour supplies originate from Punjab.
According to the letter, local markets are now facing an acute shortage, forcing consumers to buy flour at nearly double the previous price, while flour mills struggle to sustain production.
The letter also included a comparative analysis of wheat and flour prices between Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa before and after the supply ban.
Citing Article 155(1) of the Constitution, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government emphasized that provinces are constitutionally obligated to cooperate and facilitate each other in ensuring the free movement of essential goods, including food staples like wheat and flour.