Claim 45 mills shut, nearly 5,000 labourers unemployed; demand Sindh government intervention.
DADU: The Flour Mill Owners Association staged a protest demonstration, holding placards, against alleged injustices and actions by the Food Department, and later staged a sit-in on Kachahri Road.
On the occasion, flour mill owners Irfan Shaikh, Gul Hassan Panhwar, Afzal Korejo, Saleem Panhwar, Manzoor Chandio and others held an emergency press conference.
They alleged that in Dadu district, unjust actions were being taken against flour mill owners under a joint conspiracy of the District Food Controller Dadu and the Deputy Director Food Hyderabad Region, which they strongly rejected.
The leaders said their flour mills and millstones had been removed without any proper reason, destroying the businesses and livelihoods of many traders. They said the Food Department’s biased attitude had spread severe distress, despair and anger among flour mill owners.
They announced that from today, a strike and peaceful protest would continue against the Food Department’s policies and actions.
They claimed there were previously 293 flour mills in Dadu district, of which 45 had been shut down, leaving 252 currently operating.
They said that because of the Food Department’s alleged wrong policies, nearly 5,000 labourers had become unemployed, creating livelihood problems for thousands of families. Terming the action anti-labour, they demanded immediate intervention by the Sindh government.
The flour mill owners further said that the Sindh government, despite purchasing wheat at Rs8,750 a bag, had fixed its price at Rs12,500. They alleged that instead of providing a subsidy, the government was placing an additional burden of Rs3,750 per bag on farmers.
They said the Sindh government had announced it would release wheat from October 15, but no wheat had been released as of October 28.
The leaders said that despite this, the Dadu Flour Mill Association was setting up cheap flour stalls across the district, benefiting millions of citizens.
They said their protest was not based on any personal enmity or stubbornness but was aimed at protecting their legitimate rights, livelihoods and honour. They said they would not remain silent against injustice and would remain peaceful, united and steadfast until their rights were restored.
The flour mill owners demanded that the Sindh government immediately accept the legitimate demands of the Dadu Flour Mill Association, take notice of the Food Department’s alleged injustices, and take effective steps to save thousands of labourers from unemployment.
Otherwise, they said, the strike and protest would continue.
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