The Provincial Food Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has formally sent a letter to the Punjab government, requesting it to lift restrictions on the inter-provincial transport of wheat and flour.
The letter has been sent on the directive of the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi. The letter drew attention to the disruption of the supply of flour in KP and emphasized the need for remedial measures.
It also cited the Article 151(1) of the Constitution which focuses on free trade among provinces as a federal guarantee.
In the letter, the KP government urged that all barriers to the free movement of wheat and flour from Punjab be immediately removed.
Separately, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has decided to impose a ban on traditional brick kilns as part of efforts to control environmental pollution and smog.
According to the provincial Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), all traditional brick kilns in Peshawar must be shut down by November 15. The EPA has issued a formal notification to the Brick Kiln Association in this regard.
The letter states that the production of bricks using old chimney-based methods has been identified as a major contributor to smog and air pollution in Peshawar and surrounding areas. It further noted that many brick kilns have not yet transitioned to the modern Zigzag technology, which is considered more environment-friendly.
The EPA has restricted brick production to Zigzag-technology kilns only, directing all operators to convert their units accordingly. The KP EPA asserted that traditional kiln operations pose serious risks to both the environment and public health, and that police and district administrations have been tasked with ensuring the closure of all outdated kilns operating under old methods.
Meanwhile, Punjab has launched a crackdown on smoke-emitting vehicles across the province to address the increasing threat of smog. As per details, Director General of Environment Dr. Imran Hamid Sheikh announced smoke-emitting vehicles will no longer be allowed on the roads starting today. He directed the traffic police to immediately launch a crackdown against all such vehicles.