Bread makers across Rawalpindi launched a citywide strike on Wednesday to protest the sharp rise in wheat flour and fine flour (maida) prices, forcing the closure of tandoors and disrupting routine life in the city.
According to reports, all small and large tandoors across the district remained shut, severely affecting small hotels, tea stalls, and restaurants. At several locations, tea and cooked food were available, but naan and roti were nowhere to be found.
Nanbais said that just 18 months ago, a red wheat flour sack was available for Rs5,500, but now costs Rs10,500, while the price of fine flour (maida) has surged from Rs6,200 to Rs12,000 per sack.
President of the Nanbai Association, Shafiq Qureshi, stated that it is impossible to sell roti for Rs14 when flour prices, rent, labour, and utility costs have skyrocketed. “We are forced to buy gas cylinders for Rs15,000 each due to low gas supply, yet our bills still run into hundreds of thousands,” he said.
He also criticised the Punjab Enforcement Regulatory Authority (PERA) for imposing heavy fines ranging from Rs50,000 to Rs100,000, which he said has crippled their businesses.
With tandoors closed, many residents, particularly students and office workers, left for schools and offices without breakfast. Bakeries across the city reported a surge in the demand for bread and buns as people sought alternatives to fresh roti.
