QUETTA: Flour prices have surged sharply in Quetta, deepening hardship for residents already struggling with rising inflation.
Market sources said the price of a 20-kilogram bag of flour jumped by 200 rupees in a single day. The bag now sells for 2,550 rupees, up from 2,350 rupees.
Traders and flour mill owners said the same bag has risen by 700 rupees over the past four months. They blamed the increase on restrictions imposed by Punjab on interprovincial movement of wheat and flour, which they said disrupted supplies to Balochistan.
The business community warned that prices could rise further if the ban remains in place. Traders urged the Balochistan government to engage Punjab authorities to lift the restrictions and ensure steady wheat supplies.
Residents expressed alarm over the continued price hikes. They said flour is a basic food staple, yet authorities have failed to act despite soaring costs.
Citizens accused district administrations and price control committees of remaining absent. They said the Balochistan government has so far taken no notice of the sharp increase.
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Residents called on the government to take immediate steps to reduce prices, warning that further delays would worsen conditions for low-income families.
