LAHORE                -            Punjab Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal said that flour crisis was artificial and few mill owners created it for their personal interest. He expressed these views while talking to the complainants and the media at an open court in Samnabad area on Thursday. He said these elements were smuggling wheat to Afghanistan after getting it from the government on subsidised rates.

He said that a subsidy of Rs 9.5 billion had been given on flour during Ramazan during the previous government, adding that people were searching for subsidised flour and these elements were busy in minting money. Aslam Iqbal said that the incumbent government withdrew undue subsidy on flour and saved more than Rs 7 billion of the nation.

He said that the government would not be blackmailed by these elements and would not allow them to commit dacoity on the pockets of poor people. The minister also listened to the complainants for about three hours and issued orders on-the-spot for redressing the grievances. He said that public service and solution to the people’s problems was top priority of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government. He said, it was a sad situation that people were compelled to contact provincial ministers and politicians for solution to their problems due to an obsolete system in place. He further said, if institutions solved people’s problems, they would not have to approach ministers.