Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has denied reports of a wheat procurement scandal in the province, asserting that for the first time in the region’s history, wheat was purchased directly from farmers. This move, he claimed, resulted in savings of Rs10 billion in transportation and other related expenses.
In response to allegations of substandard wheat being imported by the provincial government, Gandapur pointed to the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) for importing wheat worth Rs10 billion from Ukraine during the caretaker government’s tenure. According to the CM, this wheat was then sold to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at inflated prices.
The allegations regarding the wheat procurement have drawn attention from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), which has initiated an inquiry into the matter.
NAB’s investigation focuses on financial mismanagement and corruption by officials from the Provincial Food Department and private suppliers. The probe involves accusations of purchasing substandard wheat at inflated prices, leading to a significant loss of state funds.
The provincial government had initially approved the purchase of wheat at Rs3,900 per 40 kilograms, with a target of procuring 600,000 metric tons. However, the government ended up spending Rs20 billion on wheat purchases through cash payments, which has raised questions about transparency.
Further allegations suggest that large quantities of subsidized wheat, intended for public distribution, have gone missing from government warehouses, contributing to artificial shortages and escalating wheat prices across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
NAB sources confirmed that the case has been referred to the provincial government, which has pledged to carry out a thorough investigation. Authorities have assured that strict action will be taken against any individuals found guilty of corruption or misconduct.