The Islamabad High Court (IHC) is set to hear a case filed by the Naanbai Welfare Association against the recent reduction in naan and roti prices in the capital city. In a petition submitted to the IHC, the President of the Naanbai Welfare Association challenged the official prices set for roti and naan by the controller general.
Tandoor owners argued that the decision to reduce the prices, slashing roti from Rs. 25 to Rs. 16 and naan from Rs. 30 to Rs. 20, was made without consulting them and that the new prices are unreasonably low.
Highlighting the discrepancy, the association claimed that the production cost of roti is at least Rs. 27 and naan is at least Rs. 30, making the new prices unsustainable for their businesses.
Furthermore, the Naanbai Welfare Association emphasized that according to the Price Control Act, any notification to increase prices can only be issued by the federation after due consultation with stakeholders.
The association has requested the IHC to nullify the notification issued
by the Controller General on April 15, aiming to restore the previous prices of roti and naan. This legal action follows the Muttahida Nanbai Roti Association of Punjab’s rejection of directives to reduce prices in the province. The association has issued a 96-hour ultimatum to reduce flour prices, threatening a province-wide strike if their demands are not met.
They demand that the price of a 20kg flour bag be fixed at Rs. 1600 to enable the sale of roti at Rs. 16 and the price of fine flour be set at Rs. 7,500 to allow naan to be sold at Rs. 20. In contrast, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced a reduction in roti prices across the province to Rs. 16, effective immediately, sparking controversy and legal challenges from stakeholders in the baking industry.
Source: Pro Pakistani