LAHORE (National Times) – Flour and wheat crisis further deepened in Punjab and Sindh on Sunday as citizens found it difficult to receive subsidised flour at local shops.

The shortage of four left thousands of customers in the lurch as people were seen returning empty-handed from shops. Those who managed to get flour complained that the sellers charged much higher than the official rates.

Though the sacks of susidised flour were supposed to be available at fixed places of the city, citizens complained of non-cooperation by the suppliers.

There were reports that subsidized flour in green bags also wasn t easily available in the local markets. There were also reports that the subsidised flour was being sold in black market in Rs700 to Rs750 per 10kg insead of Rs648 per 10kg in Punjab.

In Lahore, chakki flour was being sold in Rs160 per kg, while 15-kg sack was being sold at Rs1,930. According to the market sources, the flour prices are increasing with each passing day.

In Sindh, the flour shortage was reported in areas of Mirpur Khas and Daulat Pur.

Meanwhile, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the rate of 20kg flour bag in Karachi has reached a record Rs2,800-3,000 as compared to Rs1,295 in Islamabad, Lahore and Gujranwala, while the same bag is being sold for Rs1,300-2,880 in Larkana, Sukkur and Hyderabad.

In Quetta and Peshawar, these flour bags sell for Rs1,295-2,700.