TAXILA: The food department Rawalpindi division, with the assistance of police and other law enforcement agencies, foiled 796 bids to smuggle wheat from Punjab to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and confiscated 16,981 metric tonnes (MT) of wheat.

Briefing newsmen on Sunday at the interprovincial food checkpost on Hattar road, Deputy Director Food Rawalpindi division Mohammad Ramzan Siyal said during the season the department in Rawalpindi district confiscated 147 vehicles carrying 3,304.150 metric tonnes of wheat and 191 vehicles carrying 4,176.400 MT of flour and lodged 191 first investigation reports (FIRs). He added that the Attock district food department confiscated 218 vehicles carrying 4,439.550 MT of wheat and 56 vehicles carrying 1,177.700 MT of flour and lodged 56 FIRs.

The Jhelum district food department confiscated 94 vehicles carrying 2,273.650 MT wheat and 23 vehicles carrying 412.600 MT flour and lodged 23 FIRs.

The Chakwal district food department confiscated 266 vehicles carrying 5,603.855 MT wheat and 22 vehicles carrying 494.450 MT flour and registered 22 FIRs.

The official said the Talagang food department confiscated 71 vehicles carrying 1,360.370 MT wheat and 23 vehicles carrying 412.600 MT flour and lodged 23 FIRs.

The Chakwal district food department confiscated 266 vehicles carrying 5,603.855 MT of wheat and 22 vehicles carrying 494.450 MT of flour and lodged 22 FIRs.

He added that on Saturday acting on a tip-off the food department officials with the assistance of police and other law enforcement agencies foiled three bids of smuggling and confiscated 180,000 kg sugar.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2023