RAWALPINDI: As the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) kicked off the probe into corruption allegations worth billions of rupees in the free wheat flour distribution programme in Punjab, the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner formed six-member committee to investigate the matter and submit a detailed report to the NAB.

The NAB had asked the deputy commissioners of all the districts in the province to submit detailed report regarding distribution of free wheat flour in province during Ramazan by June 9.

The NAB asked the deputy commissioners to provide the details for receipt and distribution of flour bags from mills to the market, monitoring of the process and the selection of trucking and distribution points.

Committee will provide details to NAB

It asked to provide policy guidelines and data for the free distribution package, details of mobile application used, deployed staff responsible for scanning CNIC of the recipients, and particulars of the officials who received Rs10 per 10kg bag from the flour mills, along with accounts details.

It also sought details of the total flour bags received from mills and distributed, along with details of expenses incurred and any other related information.

The six-member committee, comprising the additional deputy commi­­ssioner (Revenue), additional deputy com­mi­­­ssioner (General), district food controller, district officer, legal advisor to deputy commissioner and system network administration, has been tasked with collecting the details and submitting them to the NAB.

Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi had asked the bureau to conduct an investigation into the matter to verify if any corrupt practices had been carried out.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2023