ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - The Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) on Saturday announced postponement of their nationwide strike until 22nd of the current month.
This decision to this effect was announced during a meeting between the PFMA delegation and members of a high-level committee established on the directive of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The meeting, held in Islamabad, aimed to address concerns regarding the imposition of withholding tax and its impact on the flour milling industry and the public.
The flour milling industry will resume normal operations nationwide from Sunday (July 14) and ensure the supply of wheat products to the market.
Earlier, a number of flour mills were shut down this past week for an indefinite period in various parts of the country after the government failed to address concerns of the PFMA regarding imposition of withholding tax on the commodity.
Thousands of flour mills across the country had halted wheat washing and flour supply.
Reports said there was an impending shortage of flour in the market and people were also anticipating hoarding and overcharging by retailers.
Thousands of flour mills in Lahore, Gujranwala, Multan and cities in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had kept shutters down.
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The closure of flour mills resulted in suspension of supply of 200,000 flour bags a day.
The PFMA delegation was led by Central Chairman Asim Raza Ahmed and Tax Committee Chairman Farrukh Shahzad. The delegation apprised the committee about the ongoing strike, imposition of withholding tax, and its repercussions on the industry and the public.
The committee listened to their concerns and assured them of achieving a positive resolution by 22nd of this month.
The office bearers of PFMA expressed their gratitude to the prime minister and committee members.
The committee members included Minister of State for Finance Ali Pervaiz, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and FBR Chairman Amjad Zubair Tiwana.