Ashrafuddin Pirzada
KHYBER DISTRICT: A large number of women and children blocked the Pak-Afghan highway at various places in district Khyber to record their protest against the skyrocketing price hike, especially in Atta, in the past few days.
A number of women, along with men and children, blocked the Pak-Afghan Highway at the Sheikhwal locality of Khyber in Landikotal. They put heavy stones on the road and suspended traffic movement for a few hours.
Protesting women chanted slogans calling for price cuts, particularly on flour.
One of the elderly women told this scribe that she cut grass from the nearby hills and sold it to buy food for her family. She said that as a widow, she could not afford to purchase a flour bag for her children for Rs. 3850. She said that due to the high prices of edibles, she felt compelled to take part in the protest.
Meanwhile, a large number of men and children also blocked the road at Takia and other localities in Landikotal to protest high atta prices and the unavailability of Landikotal bazaars. They alleged that the flour price went up when Atta dealers stored it in godowns for profit.
When the contacted assistant commissioner of Landikotal Irshad Ali Mohmand said they have increased the quota of daily flour bags for Landikotal. He said they would distribute 1493 of 20 kilograms of bags every day among Poors.
He said the price of a 20kg flour bag was fixed at Rs1300.
Irshad Mohmand said they would ensure fair distribution of the flour bags among citizens. He said they were also starting a crackdown against those who reportedly stored Atta bags in secret places.
The assistant commissioner urged citizens to cooperate with the authorities as the edibles prices were a countrywide issue that could be coped with in a few days.
