The district administration of Rawalpindi on Thursday sealed dozens of tandoors and seized the equipment for observing strike against the government’s rate of naan and roti. Nanbais locked horns with the provincial government after Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz reduced the prices of naan and roti across the province. All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran on Wednesday announced that the nanbais would observe a shutter-down strike in Punjab and Islamabad. Tandoors in Taxila, Gujjar Khan, Jatli, Kallar Syedan and other areas are closed. The masses have moved to bakeries to cater to their needs for bread. Meanwhile, the Rawalpindi district administration has swung into action and has seized dozens of tandoors and registered cases against their owners.

All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran President Ajmal Baloch called for the release of dozens of nanbais arrested across the province as he announced the strike. Criticising the Punjab government, Baloch said that it was inappropriate to shut down the business of one labour to give relief to the other. He maintained that the government would not be able to provide relief to the masses using force. The traders’ leader went on to add that the price of naan was kept at Rs20 when the flour bag was being sold at Rs10,000. The price was increased to Rs25 per naan after an increase of Rs2,000 in the price of flour bag.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan