July 10, 2007	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 24, 1428

DERA GHAZI KHAN, July 9: Some officials of Utility Stores Corporation (USC) in the Dera Ghazi Khan region, who are relatives of each other, have joined hands to allegedly sell substandard and underweight goods, Dawn has learnt.

Consumers complain underweight bags of gram, rice, flour, pulses and sugar are being sold at the USC branches in DG Khan. The quality of these goods is also not good.

In July 2006, Sadar police caught USC sugar bags being sold in the open market. But the matter was hushed up and the authorities did not launch any probe into the matter.

Sargodha USC Area Manager Muhammad Saeed, who was in charge of the Dera Ghazi Khan warehouse in July 2006, said USC account officer Muhammad Ameen had supplied sugar to the open market in the absence of the warehouse in charge.

Ameen is still performing his duty in Dera Ghazi Khan.

The government has allocated Rs20 billion to set up Utility Stores in all union councils in the country by December 31, 2007. For these branches, the authorities are allegedly hiring non-local people, which is against the policy.

DG Khan USC zonal manager Sagheer denied the charges of sale of substandard goods and minting money through undue recruitments.

USC managing director Brig (retd) Hafeez Ahmed told Dawn he would take action against the alleged irregularities in the DG Khan region.