Tandoors Likely to Close After Suspension of Flour Supply

The Rawalpindi Naan Bakers Association has threatened to close its tandoors if the supply of subsidized flour is not resumed promptly. The Food Department's decision to halt flour deliveries to naan bakers has left shop owners with no choice but to close their businesses or face closure, according to Express News. The association attributes the suspension to the deputy commissioner's office, which has remained silent on the matter for two weeks.

Bakers claim they are now forced to purchase expensive flour from the open market, rendering it impossible to sell bread at the officially mandated price. Only 200 out of the association's 4,600 members in Rawpindi were receiving government flour prior to the suspension. Some sources suggest that cheap, illicit government flour is being sold outside the official system.

Association president Shafique Qureshi has warned that if the flour supply is not reinstated by August 14, all tandoors in the city will be forced to shut down.