LAHORE - Punjab Minister for Prison Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor has demanded the federal government to immediately ban the export of food items including rice, wheat and meat to bring down its prices in the local market to provide relief to the masses. "Following the pattern of India, we must have to impose ban on all kinds of export of food items particularly rice, wheat and chicken and mutton. The export of food items is one of the main reasons behind the food inflation in the country," Ghafoor said while addressing the 2nd flour milling conference held here at a local hotel on Tuesday. He also strongly criticised the PPPP leadership saying that Asif Ali Zardari must honour the agreement regarding the restoration of judiciary. He further said that his Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif was fighting the war of farmers, labourers and Islam by taking principle stand. He also assured the flour millers that the Punjab government would soon resolve the problems being faced by the flour milling industry. Later, Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) rejected the proposed wheat release policy prepared by the Punjab and demanded the government to lift the inter-provincial ban on the wheat and flour movement and fix unified rates of flour across the country. Addressing the conference, Chairman Pakistan Flour Mills Association Naeem Butt said that the Punjab chief minister, chief secretary and secretary food were trying to make the flour millers scapegoat by fixing the rates of flour according to their own will, which is injustice. "The illegal bans must be lifted and the government should fix unified rates of flour across Pakistan," he demanded. Chairman PMFA Punjab branch Habib-ur-Rehman Leghari and Chairman Sindh branch Iqbal Daood were also present on this occasion besides a large number of other flour millers. Naeem Butt said the Punjab government had planned to issue wheat quota to the flourmills at Rs 580 per 40-kg while in Sindh and NWFP provinces wheat would be released at Rs 750. "This is not right. The rates of flour must be unified in all the four provinces," he said. He also called upon the flour millers to leave the differences and be united to achieve the goals. Chairman PMFA Punjab branch Habib-ur-Rehman Leghari said that the Punjab government had decided to issue wheat quota to the flourmills in Punjab most probably from August 28 at Rs 560 to Rs 580 per 40-kg. "We cannot afford selling of 20-kg flour bag at Rs 290 by getting wheat at Rs 580. The government must take the millers into confidence in order to overcome flour shortage in the province," he added. It is to be noted here that following a considerable reduction in wheat issue price, the government would ensure availability of 20-kg flour bag at Rs 300 in the market to provide relief to the masses in the holy month of Ramazan. It is worthy to mention here that the government had set Rs 625 per 40-kg as wheat issue price during the last season. Addressing on this occasion, Dr Bilal Aslam Sufi, Chairman Standing Committee on flour milling industry of FPCCI said that the food department must stop aggressive action against the millers.  He also said that the flour millers would support the Punjab government in providing cheap flour to the people during Ramazan. He also demanded the government to issue equal wheat quota to all the flourmills in the province.