PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Saturday tasked 20 administrative secretaries with monitoring the distribution of free wheat flour across the province.

The development came after flour distribution stampedes killed a man and injured many people in some districts.

The provision of flour bags to over 5.7 million deserving families is under way across the province during the current month of Ramazan.

Caretaker Chief Minister Azam Khan took notice of stampedes and directed the chief secretary to ensure necessary measures for the organised distribution of free flour.

<Govt move comes as one killed and many injured in stampedes

A notification issued on Saturday read that administrative secretaries were tasked with monitoring the flour distribution.

According to a statement issued by the chief minister’s secretariat, the secretary of the food department will monitor the exercise in Peshawar district, C&W secretary in Mardan and excise and taxation secretary in Kohat and Karak districts.

Similarly, the irrigation secretary will oversee flour distribution in Nowshera and Charsadda districts, Auqaf secretary in Khyber and Mohmand, culture and tourism secretary in Bannu and Lakki Marwat and industries secretary in Dera Ismail Khan and Tank.

The sports and youth affairs secretary will monitor the process in Abbottabad and Mansehra districts, higher education secretary in Swat and Malakand and elementary and secondary education secretary in Upper and Lower Chitral.

The agriculture secretary has been tasked with supervising flour distribution in Upper and Lower Dir districts, relief and rehabilitation secretary in Kurram and health secretary in Hangu and Orakzai.

The information technology secretary will monitor the exercise in North Waziristan district, livestock secretary in Shangla and Battagram,housing secretary in Buner, public health secretary in Upper and Lower South Waziristan, population welfare secretary in Swabi and Haripur districts, mineral development secretary in Upper and Lower Kohistan and Kolai-Palas districts and transport secretary in Torghar district.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2023