The Federal Ministry of Interior has identified 434 flour mills, 623 middlemen, and 345 landlords across the country involved in wheat flour smuggling and hoarding, according to an intelligence report. According t0 media report, the report, which was provided to the chief secretaries of the four provinces, revealed that 216 flour mills in Punjab are involved in wheat flour smuggling and government quota theft. 92 flour mills of Sindh are involved in wheat flour smuggling and hoarding. 88 flour mills in Pakhtunkhwa and 37 flour mills in Balochistan are involved in smuggling and hoarding. 387 middlemen in Punjab, 172 middlemen in Sindh, 59 middlemen in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 5 middlemen in Balochistan were found involved in smuggling and hoarding. 214 landowners in Punjab and 81 landowners in Sindh are involved in hoarding. 45 landowners in Pakhtunkhwa and 5 landowners in Balochistan have been found involved in smuggling and hoarding. The district administration in Punjab has started a second inspection of the mills and persons included in the list.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)