Wheat flour rates rise as mafias rule the roost in Pakistan: Altaf Shakoor
KARACHI ( WEB NEWS )
After the notorious sugar mafia made several hundred billion at the cost of Pakistani consumers in recent past, now it is the turn of wheat flour mafia as the rates of this staple food have risen sharply in the whole country, while the government looks the other way, said Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor on Sunday.
Altaf Shakoor said there is a lack of governance in Pakistan as powerful mafias backed by assembly members and government functionaries rule the roost. He said on one hand mega floods have inundated vast farmlands damaging standing crops and on the other hand the powerful wheat flour mafia has hiked the rates of flour in the whole country. Like the sugar mafia, the wheat mafia is also looting the Pakistani consumers with impunity as it has got a backing at government level.
Altaf Shakoor regretted that elite capture in Pakistan has made the life of common man miserable. Half of the population has already gone beneath the poverty line. Malnutrition amongst the women and children is on an alarming rise. Joblessness is rampant and poor people are committing suicides, especially in rural areas. The ministers and elected representatives of people are only interested in hiking their own salaries and allowances.
He demanded strict action against these mafias and hoarders. He said the price control mechanism in the whole country must be strengthened. He said in the past both the sugar and wheat mafias had looted the Pakistani consumers multiple times but the political governments of that time did not take any action against them.
He appealed to the chief of army staff and the chief justice of Pakistan to take notice of this new loot and plunder of the wheat flour mafia and save the poor Pakistanis from its harm.