Wheat Theft Scandals Rock Balochistan Food Department: Over 6,800 Bags Missing, Officials Arrested

Quetta:Two major wheat theft scandals have surfaced in the Balochistan Food Department, prompting swift action by the Anti-Corruption Department. In the first case, five officials have been charged with the theft of 2,018 bags of wheat from government warehouses located on White Road and Spini Road in Quetta. The stolen wheat, worth approximately Rs. 23 million, was reportedly being sent to flour mills without any legal documentation.

According to Director General Anti-Corruption Abdul Wahid Kakar, three of the accused officials have already been arrested. The investigation, initiated at the request of the district administration, led to the registration of cases against Food Department Director Admin Salman Kakar, Assistant Director Aslam Shah, and three other staff members – Abdul Mateen, Alao-ud-Din, and Saleem.

In a separate case, another scandal was uncovered in Zhob, where 4,885 bags of wheat mysteriously went missing from government storage. Following a completed investigation, cases have now been registered against two officials – Muhammad Azam and Zafar Achakzai. Teams have been deployed to apprehend the suspects.

These developments highlight serious lapses in oversight within the Food Department and have raised concerns about the management of public food reserves in the province.