A sudden and severe spike in the cost of flour has plunged residents of Shangla and other upper districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa into a state of distress and financial anxiety. The public is pointing fingers at what they call weak government oversight, coupled with hoarding and profiteering by market players, for making this essential staple unaffordable.
Staggering Price Hikes Defy Official Rates
Market checks reveal alarming figures. A 20-kilogram bag of flour is now being sold for Rs 2,850 in Shangla and nearby areas, a massive jump from just Rs 1,500 last month. The situation is even more dire for larger quantities, with a 40-kilogram bag reaching Rs 5,700 and a 50-kilogram bag reportedly priced at around Rs 7,000. This surge places a fundamental food item beyond the means of countless low and middle-income families already straining under relentless inflation.
These market rates stand in stark contrast to the government's official price. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had recently set the official price for a 20kg bag at Rs 1,950. However, in places like Shangla's Beshter Market, the same bag commands Rs 2,850, highlighting a severe enforcement gap.
Smuggling Not to Blame This Time, Say Locals
In the past, price increases in the province were frequently linked to the illegal smuggling of flour from Punjab into Afghanistan, exploiting KP's border proximity. However, residents and traders note a critical change: despite the Afghanistan border remaining sealed for months, flour prices have surged again. This indicates that smuggling is no longer the primary driver of the current crisis, shifting blame squarely onto domestic market failures and regulatory lapses.
Local traders have echoed public concerns, observing that flour prices in Punjab and other provinces remain relatively stable. The unexplained and isolated hikes in Shangla and surrounding upper districts, they argue, are a clear sign of ineffective market monitoring and control mechanisms in the region.
Warnings of Deepening Crisis and Social Unrest
Economists and social observers warn that the continued escalation of flour prices could significantly deepen poverty and food insecurity in the region. They are urging authorities to immediately activate price control committees and take stringent action against hoarders and profiteering networks that manipulate supply.
Public frustration is no longer confined to marketplaces. It has spilled over onto social media platforms, where citizens are launching campaigns to highlight the crippling inflation. Many are warning of potential street protests if the government fails to bring prices under control and provide relief to the common people.
The crisis underscores an urgent need for the provincial government and district administrations to intervene decisively. Enforcing price controls on essential commodities and cracking down on market manipulators are now critical steps to prevent a basic food item from becoming a luxury for the people of Shangla and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
