Pakistan: Protests in Bajaur against irregularities in free flour distribution

Islamabad [Pakistan], April 11 : Hundreds of people held a protest sit-in outside Bajaur Press Club on Sunday against the favouritism and anomalies in the distribution of free flour in the Bajaur region of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, The News International reported.

The protesters urged the government and district administration to take action against the accused involved in the misappropriation and unjust distribution of free flour to the people, as per The News International report. The protesters provided evidence of embezzlement in the distribution of free flour.

The protesters alleged that their share of flour had been engulfed by corrupt dealers, The News International reported. They called on the district administration to take notice of the unjust distribution of free flour and order investigations into the injustices being faced by the people.

Shah Naseer Mastkhel of Awami National Party, Syed Sadiq Akbar, Tehsil Council chairman Said Badshah, Aurangzeb Khan Iqilabi of Pakistan People's Party, Jamaat-e-Islami (youth wing) leader, traders' leaders Shah Wali Khan Alizai, Khan Bahadur, neighbourhood and village council nazims Anwar Hussain, political parties workers, activists and people participated in the sit-in camp, according to the news report.

On April 8, a number of people in the Khar area of the Bajaur tribal district held a protest, alleging that deserving families were denied free wheat flour under the government's scheme, Dawn reported. The demonstration was staged at the Civil Colony of Khar amid sloganeering against the food department, flour mills and dealers.

The protesters also demanded a crackdown on flour dealers over the irregularity. The protesters said that the Pakistan government's free flour scheme was meant for deserving families, those who really need that commodity, but didn't reach all such people, the Dawn reported.

They added that more than 2,000 flour bags had gone "missing" from distribution centres in the district during the last two days, according to Dawn. The protesters blamed the irregularity on the district food controller and his subordinates, dealers of free wheat, and flour mills. They alleged that political and trader leaders were involved in the anomaly.

They said the dealers, with the support of the management of local flour mills and officials of the district food department, have deprived several hundred families of needy and poor people of exercising their rights to free wheat flour. The protesters urged the district administration, particularly the deputy commissioner, to ensure the distribution of free flour to all deserving people in the district.