QUETTA, Nov 3: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has launched an investigation into alleged corruption in the Balochistan food department and asked it to submit record of procurement of wheat made over the past three years after receiving reports about misappropriation of funds released for the purpose.

A team from the provincial NAB office interrogated several officers and other staff of the department and noted that the wheat stock in warehouses in Nasirabad, Jaffarabad, Quetta, Pishin, Sibi and Hub was hundreds of thousandsofbagsshortofthe figures shown in the record.

The bureau`s teams also raided several warehouses and some officials and private contractors are likely to be arrested soon.

An investigation was also initiated against some flourmill owners.

The National Bank of Pakistan had also written in a report that the stock was less than that shown in the record submitted for getting loans.

The NBP urged the department to clarify the stock position.

According to the rules and regulations, the stock should be adequate for three months but sources claimed that the department only had wheat for one month. Flour from Punjab and Sindh is being used to cater to the need of Balochistan, while Makran division used to get flour from Iran.