A substantial wheat theft scandal has emerged within the Food Department of Balochistan, leading to the arrest of a primary suspect by the provincial Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) for his involvement in the misappropriation of numerous wheat bags.
The individual apprehended, Aslam Shah, is currently in custody, and actions against several other officials are in progress. As per a statement from the Directorate of Anti-Corruption Balochistan, the investigation was initiated following directives from the Director General of Anti-Corruption and the Provincial Ombudsman.
The inquiry commenced after allegations were made against officials in the Zhob and Killa Saifullah districts. During the investigation, inconsistencies in the official wheat records were uncovered. The actual stock in government warehouses did not align with the documented figures.
While official records indicated the presence of 43,975 wheat bags, only 31,929 bags were located, resulting in a significant deficit of 12,018 bags, valued at over Rs. 30 million. Further investigations revealed that the theft was executed through the establishment of a fraudulent standard wheat purchase committee.
A senior officer is accused of manipulating purchase and delivery records to conceal the fraudulent activities. Those implicated include: • Aslam Shah (Assistant Food Controller, Zhob) • Allah Dad (Food Inspector) • Abdul Rahim (Godown In-charge) • Abdul Hameed (Godown In-charge) • Aslam (Driver, Food Department) All individuals are currently under investigation, and arrests have been made in relation to the scandal.
The ACE Balochistan has announced that additional legal measures are being pursued, and efforts to recover the stolen wheat are ongoing.
