TAXILA: About 280 maunds of flour and 50kg of fine wheat flour (maida) were seized by officials of the food department and district police on Monday as the commodity was being smuggled to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to a district administration spokesman, the authorities of the food department along with Hassanabdal police confiscated one truckload of flour and fine wheat flour (maida) during checking at Jehri Kass checkpost. Police impounded the truck and the driver was sent behind bars.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zulqarnain along with Assistant Commissioner Adnan Anjum Raja visited the inter-provincial checkpost of Khushalgarh to review measures taken to curb the smuggling of wheat and flour.

The authorities concerned have been directed to strictly monitor exit points, the spokesman said, adding that Mr Zulqarnain had instructed officials to strictly monitor the movement of wheat and take strict action in accordance with the law against violators of rules.

He said all exit points of Attock district were being monitored round the clock to control wheat smuggling, adding that the district administration in collaboration with police and special branch was carrying out operations and a special monitoring system had also been developed, particularly for exit points of Attock district to prevent wheat smuggling.

Checkposts have been set up at exit points of Hassanabdal, Jand, Attock Khurd and Hazro, the spokesman said.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2022