Wheat Stock Scandal Leads to Dismissals and Investigations in Sindh

Five SFD officials were dismissed, and millions ordered recovered after investigations into large-scale misappropriation and shortages of government wheat stocks in the Sindh Food Department. The provincial minister for food, Makhdoom Mehboob-uz-Zaman, ordered these actions following a “zero tolerance” policy against corruption and negligence. Multiple food inspectors found responsible for shortages and mismanagement involving hundreds of thousands of wheat bags across several districts were dismissed from service. The government also ordered recovery of financial losses totaling more than Rs.534 million under the Sindh Land Revenue Act. Among those dismissed include officials posted in Sanghar, Naushehro Feroze, Kashmore-Kandhkot, Sukkur and Sanghar districts, where inquiries revealed significant discrepancies in wheat stocks spanning multiple crop years.

Five inspectors, all in Basic Scale 12, were dismissed after charges were established against them. The government also ordered recovery of financial losses totaling more than Rs.534 million, along with applicable markup, under the Sindh Land Revenue Act. Those dismissed include officials posted in Sanghar, Naushehro Feroze, Kashmore-Kandhkot, Sukkur and Sanghar districts, where inquiries revealed significant discrepancies in wheat stocks spanning multiple crop years.

In addition to the dismissals, at least five officers were placed under suspension pending disciplinary proceedings. Among them are an additional district food controller in Karachi and food inspectors in Hyderabad, Larkana, Jamshoro, and Shikarpur. Two officials in Shikarpur were arrested by the Anti-Corruption Establishment on charges linked to wheat stock misappropriation.

The investigations also uncovered large-scale shortages during the 2022–23 crop year, particularly in Kamber-Shahdadkot district. A senior food officer there has been served a final show-cause notice for alleged connivance in shortages exceeding 430,000 wheat bags. Several food inspectors posted at wheat procurement centers in the district have also been issued final notices for misappropriation involving thousands of bags.

Further disciplinary action is underway against additional senior officers across Mirpurkhas, Larkana, Jacobabad and Kashmore-Kandhkot. In one case, a summary has been sent to the chief secretary seeking approval for the suspension of a deputy director found allegedly involved in large-scale shortages.

Mehboob-uz-Zaman said the accountability drive would continue without favoritism. Honest officers would receive full institutional support, while those found guilty of betraying public trust would face dismissal, recovery of losses, and criminal proceedings.