LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has expedited probe into the alleged irregularities in free flour scheme and questioned the office bearers of the Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA), citing sources, ARY News reported on Wednesday.
A NAB team reached PFMA office in Lahore and questioned the office bearers in connection with a probe into the alleged irregularities in free flour scheme, sources told ARY News.
The PFMA spokesperson confirmed the NAB team’s visit to the office. The spokesperson added that it was third visit of the NAB team in which the investigators sought some documents which were provided to them.
The anti-corruption watchdog had launched an investigation into the alleged theft of 1.5 million flour sacks which would be distributed among the deserving families under the free flour scheme.
READ: Free flour distributed with transparency: Marriyum Aurangzeb responds to Shahid Khaqan
In May, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had launched an investigation into alleged ‘irregularities’ in Punjab free flour scheme following the allegations levelled by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
Sources told ARY News that a team of accountability watchdog visited office of Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) in Lahore and questioned the officials about free flour scheme.
In a statement, the PFMA spokesperson said that the NAB team was apprised of the process of wheat collection from the government and flour grinding.
Meanwhile, the bureau also visited Directorate of Food Department and conducted investigations into the alleged irregularities.
Abbasi’s allegations
It is pertinent to mention here that PML-N senior leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi alleged Rs20 billion in Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s free flour scheme launched during Ramazan.
Speaking at an event in Lahore, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi questioned the incumbent government’s capability, saying that the political leadership’s failure was the reason behind current crisis.
He maintained that incompetent leadership will only cause harm to the country instead of resolving the issues.
The PML-N leader also expressed concern over the ‘differences’ among national institutions. He also called upon politicians to sit together and resolve the disputes for the sake of the country’s progress.
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