RAHIM YAR KHAN: The Punjab Food Department (PFD) has transferred seven of its employees during a month in the wake of the illegal transportation of wheat, flour and its byproducts, including bran, to Balochistan from different check posts at Punjab-Sindh border in Rahim Yar Khan district.

Reports said on Oct 15, the Bahawalpur deputy director (food) through a letter No FE.Ewing.Bwp/914 ordered that services of assistant food controller district RYK Muhammad Waqas is hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect under section 6 of Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability Act 2006 (amended up to date) on account of misconduct after his arrest by Ahmedpur Lama

police. Waqas was terminated a short time ago by the food department when police arrested him on different charges but he was reinstated a few days back.

Similarly, PFD high-ups has transferred a district food controller, four food inspectors and two food grain supervisors (FGS) to other districts due to involvement in illegal

transportation of wheat, flour and its byproducts. Two inspectors Mehran Shoukat and Faisal Rehman and FGS Shan Elahi not only refused to accept their transfer orders but did not reply to show-cause notices. As a result the competent authority has terminated both of them under Peeda Act.

Earlier, on Oct 9, Assistant Superintendent Police (ASP) Sadiqabad Agha Inamullah on a tip-off confiscated five trucks of wheat flour and bran at Kot Sabzal check post at Punjab-Sindh border which were being illegally transported to Sindh.

The trucks were loaded with 105 metric tonnes of wheat flour and 37 metric tonnes of bran. Similarly, on Wednesday (Oct 15), police confiscated two trucks (TCD-887) and (TKZ-796) loaded with wheat and its byproducts at Chowk Swetra and registered two FIRs.

As per ASP Inamullah, 62 trucks and trailers involved in illegal wheat transportation to Balochistan and Sindh were confiscated from Sept 1 to Oct 15, out of which 20 were loaded with flour, six with wheat and three carried bran.

A total of 41 cases were registered in four police stations including Kot Sabzal, Sadiqabad Saddarand Abadpur, under sections 134 and 550 of CrPC.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2025