The flour crisis in Pakistan has intensified, exposing what industry insiders describe as deep distortions in the country’s wheat distribution system and raising fresh questions about governance and accountability.
Sources within the food sector say a small number of private mills, largely based in Lahore and Islamabad, have received preferential access to government wheat reserves managed by PASSCO and provincial food departments, bypassing established allocation mechanisms. This selective access, they allege, has skewed supply and undermined fair competition.
While officials publicly deny impropriety, several individuals familiar with allocations spoke of patterns of selective favoritism and possible financial inducements, some reportedly routed through offshore or foreign transfers. No formal inquiry has yet validated these claims, but the allegations have deepened public mistrust of how essential staples are managed.
Economic signals on the ground are stark. Private mills said to be acquiring wheat at Rs. 1,800 per maund are reportedly pricing flour as if wheat costs exceed Rs. 4,000 per maund, effectively inflating margins. Consumers face record prices: in Islamabad a 20-kilogram bag of flour is being sold for around Rs. 2,400, while a sack of fine flour has surged past Rs. 10,000 in some markets.
Analysts warn that government supplies of subsidized wheat to mills already holding vast private stocks—sometimes running into hundreds of thousands of bags—have rewarded hoarding rather than curbed shortages. Under departmental rules, stocks held by mills for more than 72 hours should be subject to seizure to prevent hoarding, but enforcement appears largely absent, enabling continued accumulation.
Reports also suggest high-ranking bureaucrats within food departments are using transfers and postings as levers for personal gain. “The system has collapsed from within,” said a senior industry insider who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, summarising the concern shared by many observers.
Experts urging urgent corrective action call for transparent audits, strict enforcement of existing seizure rules and a shift toward population-based wheat distribution to protect vulnerable consumers. Repeated attempts to contact the District Food Department for comment were unsuccessful, leaving key questions about oversight and accountability unanswered as the flour crisis deepens.
