KP Food Minister Rejects Allegations by Federal Minister Amir Maqam, Claims Transparency in Wheat Procurement

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Food Zahir Shah Toru on Thursday strongly refuted allegations of corruption made by Federal Minister Amir Maqam regarding the provincial food department, calling them baseless and a propaganda tactic.

Speaking at a press conference at the Civil Secretariat in Peshawar, Zahir Shah said that the procurement of wheat this year was carried out with complete transparency, and the province saved over Rs. 8 billion during the procurement. He emphasized that the procurement was done at the government-fixed rate of Rs. 3,900 per 40 kilograms as set by the federal government. The minister added that provincial target for wheat procurement was set at 300,000 metric tons, out of which 208,000 metric tons were successfully procured.

Zahir Shah accused Amir Maqam of presenting misleading figures and engaging in negative propaganda, questioning Maqam’s credibility by referring to him as a “protégé of Pervez Musharraf.” He further alleged that Maqam had attempted to acquire wheat permits through illegal means, which were rightfully denied by the provincial government.

“Amir Maqam himself is the king of corruption and is now propagating false claims of corruption,” Toru remarked, adding, “I challenge him to prove any corruption in wheat procurement, and I will resign if such allegations are proven.”

Addressing the issue of poor-quality wheat in government warehouses, the provincial minister claimed that the substandard wheat was purchased by the previous caretaker government led by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). He asserted that the responsibility for this lies with the former caretaker government, and not with the current provincial government.

The minister also criticized Maqam for not raising his voice for the province’s financial dues from the federal government, which amount to billions of rupees. He accused Maqam of being more interested in securing contracts and tenders than serving the province’s interests.

On the recent controversy surrounding his comments on milk adulteration, Shah clarified that his remarks were misrepresented by the media. He explained that the 8% allowance for water content in milk was given as a concession during the summer months when dairy suppliers use ice to preserve milk during transportation, which inadvertently leads to water mixing with the milk.

At the same press conference, newly appointed Secretary for Food Saqib Raza provided details on the quality concerns of wheat procured from Ukraine in 2023. He assured that scientific analysis was being conducted on the wheat and the results would be shared with the media once available.

Toru concluded the press briefing by urging the media to play a positive role in dispelling negative propaganda and to avoid being used as a tool for spreading false allegations. He also revealed that some individuals claiming themselves media person had attempted to pressure the department into procuring wheat permits, resorting to blackmail when their demands were not met.