KARACHI: The Sindh Food Department has asked the National Accountability Bureau to investigate the disappearance of Rs10 billion worth of wheat, Geo News reported on Tuesday.
The department, in the letter, said that 114,000 wheat sacks had gone missing while they were being shifted from Ghotki to Karachi.
The letter mentions that nearly 100,000 wheat sacks had disappeared from the government's godowns as well.
The food department also urged the anti-graft watchdog to book those who were responsible for stealing wheat in 2018 and 2017.
The department along with the letter attached a report of its own inquiry and demanded that the money be returned to it.
According to The News, large quantity of Sindh government's wheat worth Rs10 billion, stocked at the godowns at 15 different districts of the province, have gone missing.
Following an initial inquiry, the food department has formally asked NAB to undertake a comprehensive inquiry.
A day earlier, Sindh food department directed all Deputy Directors Food and District Food Controllers to liaison with district administrations for action against transportation of wheat outside of province and hoarding by local stockists so that price hikes and wheat shortages can be prevented.
A letter released by the food department stated that Sindh government has empowered deputy commissioners and district food controllers to take action against the transportation of wheat outside of province and hoarding by local stockists under Section 3 (I) and Section 3(2)(C) of West Pakistan Food Stuff (Control) 1958 (Sindh Amendment Act 1974) vide a notification issued on May 2, 2020 issued by Home Department .
It added that wheat recovered by district administrations or district food controllers will be considered as procured wheat and would be shifted to government godowns.
The officials authorised to take action against hoarding have been reminded that in light of Sindh Cabinet's decisions, the functional flour mills were allowed to retain wheat stock of 90 days as per sanctioned and grinding capacity.
— Additional input from APP
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