Fears of an impending food crisis have emerged in Balochistan following widespread destruction caused by recent floods, which have severely disrupted supply chains and road infrastructure across the province.
According to market sources, the suspension of wheat and flour supplies from Punjab has brought existing reserves in Balochistan dangerously close to depletion. In Chaman, the price of a 100kg flour sack has surged by Rs4,000 — rising from Rs7,000 to Rs11,000 over the past 20 days — as dealers struggle to meet demand amid falling stocks.
Speaking to a private news channel, the President of the Chaman Dealers Association confirmed that the Punjab government halted flour and wheat supplies to Balochistan just a day earlier. He said that even in mid-August, Punjab mill owners had attributed rising wheat prices to black marketing and hoarding.
With roads damaged and transportation links severed due to the floods, supply has dropped significantly below demand, pushing flour prices higher in Chaman and other parts of the province. Dealers report that stocks already in hand are being rationed in the local markets, but say they are fast running out.
They further warned that if the governments of Punjab and Balochistan fail to coordinate and resolve the issue, prices could spiral out of control — with a 100kg sack potentially exceeding Rs15,000 in the next few days — leading to severe shortages and the unavailability of flour in local markets.
The supply disruption has also halted operations at several flour mills in Balochistan, where wheat is no longer available for grinding.
Dealers have urged immediate intervention by the provincial and federal authorities to prevent the situation from escalating into a full-blown humanitarian crisis.
