ISLAMABAD: The Naanbai Welfare Association has taken a significant step by lodging a petition with the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to challenge the recent reduction in naan and roti prices within the capital city.
In response to this development, the President of the Naanbai Welfare Association presented the petition to the IHC, contesting the official pricing structure of roti and naan.
Within their legal plea, the Naanbai Welfare Association articulated their objection to the decision made by the controller general, which saw the price of roti decrease from Rs 25 to Rs 16 and naan from Rs 30 to Rs 20.
The association emphasized a fundamental grievance as they were not consulted or involved in the decision-making process by the relevant authorities. According to their submission, the decision was unilateral, and the resulting new prices were deemed unreasonably low.
Furthermore, the Naanbai Welfare Association underscored the necessity of inclusive consultation with all stakeholders before determining the prices of essential commodities. They argued that the authority to issue notifications regarding price adjustments rests solely with the federation, as outlined in Section III of the Price Control Act.
Moreover, the association contended that the actual costs involved in the production of roti and naan far exceed the newly established prices. They claimed that the minimum cost for producing roti stands at Rs 27, while for naan, it is at least Rs 30. Thus, they urged the IHC to nullify the notification issued by the Controller General on April 15.
Prior to this legal action, the Muttahida Nanbai Roti Association of Punjab had already voiced its opposition to directives aimed at reducing naan and roti prices in the province. In response to the Punjab government’s directive setting the price of roti at Rs 16, the Nanbai Association issued a 96-hour ultimatum, demanding a reduction in flour prices. Additionally, they issued a stern warning of a province-wide shutter-down strike if their demands were not met.
It is important to highlight that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced via X (formerly Twitter) the reduction of roti prices across the province to Rs 16, with immediate effect.
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