Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Food Zahir Shah Toru has said that, for the first time in the history of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the provincial government procured high-quality wheat without compromising on quality or quantity. He stated that this uncompromising approach has agitated the corrupt elements. Toru expressed these views while jointly presiding a briefing meeting with Advisor on Information and Public Relations Barrister Dr. Muhammad Ali Saif, on the completion of the wheat procurement target for 2024,on Thursday.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Food Department, Zarif Al-Maani, Director of Food, Yasir Hassan, and other relevant officials. The Secretary briefed the meeting, stating that the Food Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa introduced an online application to ensure transparency and efficiency in wheat procurement. Local farmers and those from other provinces, particularly Punjab, registered through this app, and wheat was procured on a first-come, first-served basis.
The meeting was informed that while the online App recorded a procurement entry of 1.8 million metric tons of wheat, the province’s target was 300,000 metric tons. The Secretary also mentioned that 22 procurement centers across the province were monitored through CCTV cameras and a five-member committee was formed to assess the quality of wheat. This committee included representatives from the District and Assistant Food Controllers, District Administration, Agriculture, Revenue Department, Flour Mills Association, as well as officials from NAB and Anti-Corruption as observers.
Zarif-Ul-Maani further informed that nine officers had been suspended for violating rules and regulations, and inquiries are ongoing. The final report will be submitted to the relevant authorities soon. Zahir Shah Toru commended the successful procurement and stated that the campaign enhanced food security and economic activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He directed the relevant officials to develop a procurement strategy based on this year’s campaign to ensure a comprehensive plan for future wheat procurement.
Advisor Barrister Dr. Saif appreciated the efforts of Zahir Shah Toru and the Food Department for completing the wheat procurement process transparently. He noted that due to wheat procurement, prices of wheat and flour has dropped, benefiting the underprivileged. He criticized the Punjab government, stating that while the Punjab government oppressed farmers, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government provided them economic support. He accused the federal and Punjab governments of orchestrating a propaganda campaign against the wheat procurement drive and urged anyone with evidence of corruption to bring it forward, promising impartial action against those involved.
