Karachi: The Government of Sindh has taken another significant step to strengthen transparency and accountability in its province-wide campaign against illegal wheat hoarding by suspending five officials of the Food Department over allegations of misconduct, negligence and suspected facilitation of wheat hoarders.
The action was taken on the directives of Provincial Minister for Food Makhdoom Mehboob-uz-Zaman following the receipt of a detailed report submitted by the Commissioner Sukkur Division regarding recent anti-hoarding operations in District Khairpur. Acting swiftly on the findings of the report, the Food Department placed five officials under immediate suspension pending a transparent departmental inquiry.
Provincial Minister for Food Makhdoom Mehboob-uz-Zaman said that the Sindh Government had adopted a zero-tolerance policy against corruption, abuse of authority and any form of collusion with hoarders. He said that the government’s campaign against illegal wheat stockpiling was aimed at protecting consumers, ensuring uninterrupted availability of wheat and flour, preventing artificial shortages and maintaining price stability across the province.
According to the report, intelligence-based verification revealed that substantial quantities of wheat were allegedly shifted over the past two days from previously identified commercial premises in Abul Wah Chowk, Gambat, to properties reportedly owned or controlled by influential individuals in an apparent attempt to evade enforcement action by the Food Department.
The inquiry further suggested that confidential operational information regarding planned raids may have been leaked in advance, enabling certain wheat traders to conceal or relocate illegally hoarded stocks before the arrival of raiding teams. The report observed that, if established through inquiry, such actions would constitute gross misconduct, abuse of official position and active facilitation of illegal hoarding. The report also alleged that one of the officials had disclosed the identity of Intelligence Branch personnel engaged in anti-hoarding operations to traders in Kot Diji, thereby compromising confidential government operations and exposing officials performing sensitive duties.
In addition, the report pointed to inadequate coordination during the enforcement campaign. Report stated that despite repeated requests to facilitate the shifting of confiscated wheat to government storage facilities and continue anti-hoarding operations, the required administrative support was allegedly not provided, adversely affecting the momentum and overall effectiveness of the government’s enforcement drive. The report also noted that in several instances traders locked their warehouses and absconded, while only sealing of the premises was carried out without further legal measures such as search, forced entry, inventory, seizure or confiscation as permissible under the law.
Taking serious notice of these findings, the Food Department suspended Shafaat Baloch, Food Supervisor (Nara), Nadeem Ahmed Shaikh, Food Supervisor (Gambat), Khalil Ahmed Memon, Food Supervisor (Gambat), Naseer Ahmed Memon, Food Supervisor (Gambat), and Waheed Ahmed Shaikh, Food Inspector (Kot Diji). During the suspension period, their headquarters have been fixed at the office of the Director Food Sindh, Karachi, in accordance with the applicable service rules.