Big trouble for Shehbaz: Pakistan Tandoor operators to go on strike if govt raids continue

As the ruling Shehbaz Sharif government in Pakistan launched countrywide raids and detained tandoor sellers flouting instructions on selling Naan and Roti for Pakistani Rs 15 (₹5.80 for 120 gram) and Rs 10 (₹3.87 for 100g) respectively, association of Nanbais (Tandoor operators) declared that they were going on strike.

While Lahore’s Nanbais on June 9 vowed to sell Naan and Roti for Rs 20 and Rs 15 with effect from June 25 against government orders, they also warned Sharif’s adminsitration to stop the raids in their shops with “immediate effect”, Dawn reported. 

“It seems that the city administration is making our life harder,” Aftab Gill, Muttahida Naan Roti Association president, told Dawn, lashing out at the Pakistan government. 

Nanbais are purportedly left with no option but to shut down the businesses to deter the administrative officials’ harassment. The tandoor shop owners criticised Pakistan government’s action, saying that they are being forced “to sell Naan and Roti at the rate of Rs 15 and Rs 10, which is absolutely illogical keeping in view the sky-rocketing prices of everything.”

"There are an estimated 10,000 tandoors across the city that provide livelihood to nearly 40,000 workers. It would be impossible to run businesses if the Pakistan’s adminsitration enforced the food prices," they said, according to Dawn. 

Fine flour sells at rate of Rs 5,900 per 84 kg bag, argue Nanbais

Naan and Rotis were selling at the price of Rs 18 and Rs 10 respectively for at least four months despite the fact that fine flour (maida) was available in the market at the rate of Rs 5,900 per 84 kg bag, the tandoor shop owners complained. Over the past few weeks, 80 kg of flour bag is being sold in the market for Rs 6,700, while a 20 kg and 10 kg fine flour bag costs around Rs 1,100 and Rs 810, respectively, explained Muttahida Naan Roti Association president Gill, labelling Pakistan’s government’s orders as illogical. 

“Besides increase in the flour price, we are also facing impact of the increased gas and electricity rates. Moreover, due to gas loadshedding, we are using the raw wood and LPG cylinders to keep our Tandoors operational,” stressed Muttahida Naan Roti Association president, in a statement to Dawn. 

Pakistan’s government has allegedly been trying to fix the prices of the naan and rotis without official notification and justification. The businesses have threatened to shut down operations, and protest against the harassment and arrests made for selling naans at the price they wish.

A spokesman for the city administration, meanwhile, dismissed the Nanbais’ concerns saying that huge quantity of subsidised flour is being sold at 1,100 sale points in the city. “Nanbais can easily get subsidised flour as per their daily demand,” the official who spoke on condition of anonymity told the Pakistani media, not heeding to the demands of the sellers.