AVN Report
KARACHI: Flour mills across Pakistan have halted wheat grinding in protest against the recently imposed five percent withholding tax, effective from July 1, 2024 on the strike call given by the Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA).
PFMA Chairman Aamir Abdullah criticized the government for enforcing the tax without taking industry stakeholders on board. “We are already under the tax net and cannot afford additional burdens,” he said, expressing regret that the PFMA’s efforts to engage government officials since July 3 have gone unanswered.
“The strike will continue indefinitely until our demands are met,” Abdullah said, noting that 2,000 mills, including 250 in Sindh, have ceased operations, suspending the supply of wheat products countrywide.
Abdullah emphasized the unity among flour mills and warned that the government’s actions could lead to increased flour prices. “Yesterday, wheat washing was halted, and today, milling has stopped,” he added. The strike’s impact on essential food supplies is expected to worsen unless a resolution is reached promptly.
