September 12, 2006	Tuesday	Sha'aban 18, 1427

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

ISLAMABAD, Sept 11: The World Food Programme (WFP) said that it had foiled attempts of a transporter who tried to mix low- quality wheat into the WFP’s consignment on its way from Karachi to the quake-hit areas.

In a statement issued here on Monday, the WFP also rejected a news item that appeared in Dawn stating that the WFP had cancelled contracts of some food suppliers after the reports of supply of substandard food items to quake victims in NWFP and AJK.

The statement said: “Similarly, this is to affirm that World Food Programme follows strict procedures of international commodity specifications ensuring the quality of food supplied to the earthquake affected areas in NWFP and AJK.

“The agency checks through independent surveyors at various levels to verify the quality of food before it reaches beneficiaries. Samples are sent for laboratory analysis at origin and checked twice at the contractual parameters and at the receiving destination.”

However, the statement said, recently one of the transport contractors attempted to adulterate wheat enroute from Karachi and tried to deliver substandard wheat. The matter was investigated, transporter penalised as per WFP standard operating procedures and the substituted commodity was rejected at destination.

The United Nations resident coordinator’s office confirms that all food and medicine supplies stored at WFP and WHO warehouses meet the entire international and local quality standard. All necessary reports are available with the agencies for further verification purposes, the statement said.