Distribution of free wheat flour: Tribesmen protest against mismanagement

F.P. Report

BARA: Number of people including tribal women in Jamrud and Bara came out on roads in protest against mismanagement and irregularities in distribution of wheat flour on Monday.

Women folk in Jamrud blocked Pak-Afghan highway at Bab-e-Khyber point while holding sit-in on it. They were of the view that until and unless the administration formulated a transparent system of distribution of free wheat flour under the government scheme, they would not give up their agitation.

The protesters rejected the hollow slogans of the concerned authorities for a smooth and transparent distribution process and said that for the last few days they had been visiting the supply points but they had been ignored. The protest women also accused the dealers for nepotism and said priority was given to those who had recommendations from influential ones.

They reopened the road after the officials ensured them smooth provision of flour. In the same way, the locals gathered in main Bara Bazaar and flayed the administration for turning blind eyes towards their problem. They opined that if free flour was supplied on time to the rural areas, no rush of the beneficiaries would be found in the urban city distribution points.

The protestors urged the administration to mend ways of dealers and stress them to carry out the distribution process smoothly and clearly so that deserving ones could get free flour without hassle. In a statement issued from the DC office said that as per the scheme, the free flour was provided to beneficiaries of Benazir Income Support Program (BSP) although people, especially women, approached the distribution points and asked for flour that created rush.

The administration officer called upon the masses to avoid rush only BISP recipients could visit the free flour distribution sites. According to Deputy Commissioner Khyber office, a total of 164 distribution points had been established in three tehsils i.e. Landi Kotal, Jamrud, Bara and 384 metric ton quota per day of flour has been reserved for Khyber.