Ex-food secy rejects inquiry report on wheat crisis

LAHORE: Former food secretary Naseem Sadiq, who was previously demoted from Dera Ghazi Khan commissioner to Officer on Special Duty (OSD), in the wake of the wheat crisis inquiry report, has demanded a judicial inquiry to ascertain the conduct of the inquiry committee itself.

The former secretary claimed that the inquiry committee tried to mislead prime minister by preparing “an incorrect report”.

His demand of judicial inquiry was also backed by Provincial Management Services Officer Association, which, had called for a specialised third party investigation into such matter, to ensure neutrality.

In a letter to the Punjab chief minister and the chief secretary, the former food secretary said that he did not delay the wheat procurement, as alleged in the report, as the campaign had already started on March 8, 2019, eight days prior to his joining as food secretary.

He added that poultry feed mills procured wheat from Punjab Food Department and Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation on government-controlled rate well before his posting as secretary of the food department.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 11^th, 2020.