KP food minister rebuffs corruption allegations

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Food Zahir Shah Toru on Thursday dismissed allegations of corruption against the provincial food department, terming them baseless and politically motivated.

Addressing a press conference here, he challenged accusers to provide concrete evidence instead of spreading propaganda.Toru claimed that a systematic campaign was underway to malign the KP government and divert public attention from issues related to Form 47. He accused unidentified elements of deliberately targeting provincial ministers and the chief minister with unsubstantiated claims.

The minister further alleged that the federal government was depriving KP of its rightful share of resources, yet the provincial administration had continued to perform effectively. He announced that a detailed performance report of the department would soon be made public.

Defending the province’s wheat procurement strategy, Toru stated that KP purchased wheat at federally fixed rates from local farmers, resulting in savings of Rs9 billion. “If saving money for the province is a crime, then we will continue committing this crime,” he remarked. He also denied any interference in his department by the chief minister or his family.

Refuting allegations regarding the acquisition of 40 kanals of land, he said that the claims were false, insisting that even his own family was unaware of such accusations. “If the allegations are proven, I am ready to face any punishment,” he asserted.

On price control and food quality during Ramazan, Toru announced that a special complaints cell had been set up within the KP Food Authority to address concerns about overpricing and substandard food. He urged the public to report violations, assuring that strict action would be taken. Additionally, he confirmed that monitoring teams had been deployed at the divisional level to oversee food quality and pricing across the province.