LAHORE: The federal government and flour mill owners in view of the first 10 days of Muharram have reached an agreement to resume wheat milling across the country after a three-day hiatus following assurances given by the former to provide a sympathetic outlook. the latter’s demand to abolish supply chain withholding tax.
The News reported that the two sides showed agreement on the issue at a meeting held in Islamabad on Saturday between a four-member government delegation comprising Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazir Tarar, Minister of State for Finance Ali Pervez and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema. and FBR Chairman Amjed Zubair Tiwana and a PFMA delegation led by its Chairman Asim Raza Ahmed along with Senior Member Farrukh Shahzad.
Accordingly, Pakistan Flour Millers Association (PFMA) and Progressive Flour Millers Group have decided to resume operations from Sunday (today) after observing a strike since July 11.
The decision to end the strike comes after the government’s negotiating team gave an assurance of a positive resolution by July 22, a PFMA official said.
The meeting of the delegation with the committee was seen as a significant step towards resolving the ongoing strike in the milling industry.
Earlier on Saturday evening, tandoori owners in the provincial capital warned that they were facing a shortage of flour, which could lead to the closure of their shops in the next two to three days.
They called for an early resolution of issues between the flour milling industry and the government and said the sale of tandoori roti and naans could be suspended on the eve of Muharram-related gatherings.
