BAJAUR/DERA ISMAIL KHAN/CHARSADDA: Political and social activists on Sunday staged a protest camp outside the Bajaur Press Club against the alleged corruption in the government’s free flour distribution in the tribal district.

JUI-F leader and Khar tehsil council chairman Haji Said Badshah, PPP leader Aurangzeb Khan, JI leaders Farmanullah, Liaqat Khan, ANP provincial joint secretary Shah Naseer Khan, trader leaders Haji Shah Wali Khan, Haji Khan Bahadar, and Khar neighbourhood council chairman Anwar Hussain were among those in attendance.

Later, talking to reporters, organisers of the camp claimed several hundred people, who were deprived of free flour from across the district had come up with evidence regarding corruption in flour distribution. They alleged dealers were charging the poor people at the distribution points for free lour.

They claimed officials of the local food department, management of flour mills and dealers were involved in the corrupt practices.

They asked the provincial government, secretary food department and the Bajaur deputy commissioner to look into the matter.

Meanwhile, the Dera district administration will hold an open kutchery on Monday (today) to listen to complaints of citizens regarding free flour distribution.

The open court would be held at the Circuit House on the directives of deputy commissioner Mansoor Arshad.

The administration has asked the people, especially those having grievances regarding the distribution process, to participate in the session to air their complaints against the dealers concerned.

The officers of the district administration and the food department would also participate in the open forum.

Also, the Charsadda district administration has cancelled wheat flour quota of 35 dealers and arrested four others for favouritism in distribution of free flour.

Deputy commissioner Adnan Farid Afridi said distribution of free flour to the deserving people was going on smoothly, adding a total of 317,000 beneficiaries were given 915,513 bags of flour. He said the remaining families would get the flour soon.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2023