Flour mills association announces countrywide shutdown from July 11: Here’s why

KARACHI: Pakistan Flour Mills Association has announced a complete shutdown of flour mills from July 11 against the imposition of withholding tax on wheat products.

Chairman of Pakistan Flour Mills Association, Chaudhry Aamir Abdullah, while holding a press conference in Karachi, announced that wheat washing will be stopped from July 10, while all flour mills will be closed on July 11.

He said that this is the final ultimatum for the government. If our demands are not accepted, flour mills across the country including Karachi will be closed from Thursday.

He asserted that for the first time in the 70-year history of Pakistan, withholding tax has been imposed on bread. He urged the government to withdraw the withholding tax, adding that if it is not withdrawn, the price of flour will go up to Rs 18 per kg.

He said that the government is burdening the flour mills after the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) failed to collect the tax.

If the decision is not revised, flour mills across the country will stop washing and grinding wheat from Wednesday, July 10, and will stop supplies to bakeries and livestock farms indefinitely from Thursday, July 11.