ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Monday called upon Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to intervene against what he described as “unconstitutional restrictions” imposed by the Punjab government on the inter-provincial movement of wheat to KP.
In a letter shared on the social media platform X, Kundi warned that the curbs were threatening KP’s food security and undermining the constitutional principle of cooperative federalism. “Such limitations not only affect the province’s food security but also go against the spirit of cooperative federalism enshrined in our Constitution,” the governor said, expressing confidence that the matter would be resolved “under the prime minister’s leadership.”
The letter termed the restrictions a “serious concern”, noting that KP — a wheat-deficient province — relies heavily on supplies from Punjab to meet its daily consumption needs. Kundi cited Article 151 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of trade and commerce among provinces, arguing that any obstruction violates this constitutional right.
He cautioned that the movement curbs were fostering “illegal and informal transportation of wheat” through alternate routes, distorting market supplies and driving up prices. “This diversion is causing a rapid escalation in wheat and flour prices, directly burdening the general public and potentially triggering unwarranted public resentment,” he wrote.
The governor requested the premier’s “immediate intervention” to withdraw the restrictions, ensuring the “uninterrupted and legally protected movement of wheat” to KP.
The controversy follows repeated complaints by KP and Sindh, both of which accuse Punjab of choking wheat flow to their provinces. Punjab, however, has denied imposing a ban. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari recently insisted that no such restrictions exist, calling reports of a ban “baseless and contrary to facts.”
Meanwhile, Kundi also wrote to Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, urging the restoration of daily and international flights from Peshawar, particularly to the Gulf and Middle Eastern countries. He said the suspension of such flights had caused “considerable hardship” for overseas Pakistanis and business travellers, and lamented that a single private airline was operating with a monopoly on the Peshawar-Karachi route.
The dispute over wheat movement has intensified since Punjab introduced a permit regime to regulate inter-provincial transport, claiming it was necessary to prevent domestic price hikes. KP officials and flour millers, however, maintain that the controls have led to severe supply disruptions and soaring prices — with a 20kg flour bag reportedly selling for up to Rs2,800 in KP compared to Rs1,200 in Punjab.
Amid growing political tension, Kundi and Chief Minister Sohail Afridi have both called the restrictions “an attack on the rights of KP’s people,” urging their immediate removal in line with constitutional guarantees of free trade across provinces.
