ISLAMABAD; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Monday called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to intervene against what he termed “unconstitutional restrictions” imposed by Punjab on the inter-provincial movement of wheat.
The governor’s appeal came amid growing criticism from the KP and Sindh governments, accusing Punjab of blocking wheat supplies. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari, however, denied the allegations, calling the reports “baseless propaganda.”
In a post on social media platform X, Kundi confirmed that he had written to the premier, requesting his “immediate intervention” to lift the restrictions, warning that the ban was harming food security and violating the spirit of cooperative federalism.
In his letter, Kundi described KP as a “wheat-deficient province” heavily dependent on inter-provincial inflows to meet its basic food needs. He warned that the curbs risked creating artificial shortages, price spikes, and illegal wheat smuggling, which could worsen market instability and public hardship.
He further requested the prime minister’s “swift action” to restore the free and legally protected flow of wheat into KP, expressing confidence that “under the PM’s leadership, the constitutional rights of KP’s people will be safeguarded.”
Governor seeks restoration of Peshawar-Karachi and international flights
Separately, Governor Kundi wrote to Defence Minister Khawaja Asif urging the restoration of daily Peshawar-Karachi flights and international routes, especially to Gulf countries. He noted that the suspension had caused “serious inconvenience” to overseas Pakistanis and traders, while a single private airline’s monopoly had led to “unjustified fares.”
Kundi expressed hope that the national flag carrier would “once again rise to its former glory of the 1960s and 1970s.”
Punjab’s permit regime draws criticism
The controversy stems from Punjab’s introduction of a permit-based wheat transport system following recent floods, aimed at preventing price hikes. KP and flour millers, however, view it as a violation of Article 151 of the Constitution, which guarantees free inter-provincial trade.
Earlier, on September 7, Kundi had condemned the “verbal ban,” calling it a “blatant violation of national unity.” The KP Assembly also passed a unanimous resolution denouncing Punjab’s restrictions after flour prices surged by 68 percent across the province.
Though Punjab officials deny any formal ban, they have admitted to setting up checkpoints to monitor “unusual” wheat movement.
KP demands immediate removal of restrictions
In an October 23 letter, KP’s food secretary reiterated that the province — consuming 5.3 million tonnes of wheat annually while producing only 1.5 million tonnes — depends heavily on Punjab’s supply chain. He warned that continued curbs could trigger severe shortages.
Chief Minister Sohail Afridi recently directed the food department to demand Punjab immediately lift all restrictions, stating that “political differences should never deprive citizens of basic food needs.”
