On the orders of Sindh Minister for Food Makhdoom Mehboobuz Zaman, five employees of the provincial food department were dismissed from service on Saturday after it was proved that they were involved in the embezzlement of wheat stocks.The minister said that cases of sacked employees had been sent to the Anti-Corruption Establishment Sindh, while civil suits would be filed in the concerned courts for recovery.

Balkh Sher Sheikh, who was a food inspector Kandhkot, was declared involved in the embezzlement of 9,913.952 metric tonnes of wheat, and was ordered to pay Rs783 million; Habibullah Abro, who was a food supervisor at Golarchi Badin, was dismissed from service for embezzling 387 and 4,289 bags of Jute and PP, respectively and was ordered to pay Rs87.9 million. Similarly, Ali Asghar Panwhar, who was a food supervisor at Johi, Dadu, was fired for embezzling 2,837.5 metric tonnes of wheat, and was ordered to pay Rs382.2 million.

Deedar Hussain Magsi, former food supervisor Majeed Keriyo at Shaheed Benazirabad, was fired for the shortage of 102,863 PP bags, and was ordered to pay Rs1.19 billion, while Muhammad Ali Magsi, who was a food inspector at Hali Road, Hyderabad, was dismissed for embezzling wheat, and was ordered to pay Rs28.3 million. The minister said that those involved in causing loss to the national exchequer would not be allowed to go scot-free. He further said that action would continue against corrupt employees in the Food Department, and each and every penny would be recovered from them.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)