F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Initiating a crackdown against those responsible for the wheat crisis that led to soaring prices of wheat flour across the country, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has sacked seven Customs officials over alleged involvement in smuggling wheat.
According to sources, the sacked officials include four collectors, additional collectors and deputy commissioners. The sacked officials were part of the Torkham and Chaman Customs Operations.
Sources further said that Customs officers issued concession certificates without verification and made manual entry instead of computerized.
The government has also written a letter to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to probe into the crisis so as to bring to light all those involved in the fraud.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan had constituted an inquiry committee to probe wheat/flour-related controversy, and identify and fix responsibility for the crisis that has gripped the country in recent days.
The committee had been asked to “identify and fix responsibility, if any, on any individual/officer/organisation, including any purported benefit to a private party.”
The committee, comprising Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) director general as convener, and representative of Intelligence Bureau (IB) not below BS-20/21, Punjab Anti-Corruption director general as members and any other member(s) as the convener may opt, will complete the inquiry within the fortnight and submit report to the prime minister by February 6.
The committee will also suggest a way forward for future course of action. “The inquiry report shall, inter alia, include: identification of cause; circumstances leading to the wheat/flour related controversy; assessment/projection of future stock leading to allowing export of wheat/flour products and subsequent imposition of ban on exports; management of wheat stocks, within federal government and provinces, and coordination with provinces; and any other issue, deemed appropriate, related to the wheat/flour related controversy,” the notification stated.
The development comes as the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday issued notices to the federal and provincial authorities on a petition challenging the recent hike in prices of wheat flour.
