A MAJOR corruption scandal surfaced within the Sindh Food Department after the relevant minister dismissed eight officers and employees involved in wheat embezzlement, and ordered the recovery of more than Rs5.128 billion embezzled through the unlawful sale of government wheat stocks. The minister also referred the cases to Sindh`s anti-corruption establishment for further investigation, and directed senior departmental officers toinitiatelegalproceedings against the dismissed officials in court. The procurement centres involved are said to be the ones at Thari Mirwah, Setharja, Sikandarabad, Choondiko and Shil(arpur.

The official government-controlled price of wheat in Sindh is set at Rs3,850 per 401(g, but artificial inflation, hoarding and speculation have pushed open-market wholesale prices up to Rs4,352 per 40kg.

The government should take urgent steps to control wheat prices to end the misery of people who are already crushed under financial burdens and inflation.

R asool Bakhsh Shah Sanghar