The world food crisis has had severe effects on Pakistan . As there is the presence of ‘other’ factors in the country .Smuggling for instance has caused severe shortage of flour . Prices have since hiked and for the poor it has become almost unaffordable . Now with ramdan coming up the Punjab government has promised relief for the people. The 20kg bag of wheat flour to be sold at the subsidized rate of Rs300 during Ramazan will have a separate identity as the sack will be green in color.According to official reports the ‘Green Bag’ will help the authorities ensure that wheat flour is neither sold in the black market nor smuggled to unspecified locations.

Officials in the Punjab food department said that the bag would also carry the provincial government’s seal, weight, price, date of milling, name of flour mill and the district where the commodity was packed.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced the other day in Lahore that the provincial government would make arrangement to sell wheat flour at a special price (Rs300 per 20kg) for the benefit of poor segment of the society.

Without any doubt, it is customary that prices of essential commodities shoot up during Ramazan, while local administrations act merely as ‘spectators’ and fail to check hoarders and the elements involved in black marketing.

I think it is a good initiative and steps should be taken to stablise the prices of other food items too . Fruits and other edibles should also be sold at affordable prices. In Pakistan it is a common practice by shop keepers to double prices during ramadan and eid.

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