PESHAWAR: An audit report for the fiscal year 2024-25 has uncovered large-scale financial irregularities exceeding Rs 7.19 billion in the Food Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to the report, the largest irregularities were identified in the procurement of wheat, where over Rs 6.13 billion in financial discrepancies have been reported. The audit points to the purchase of expensive wheat, which alone resulted in a loss of Rs 10 million to the public exchequer.
Further compounding the losses, are Rs 188 million incurred due to the failure to launch the Insaf Food Card project, despite the release of Rs 500 million for the initiative. The project aimed to support low-income families with subsidised food but was never initiated.
The audit also flagged losses of Rs 133.5 million due to the failure in recovering fines, Rs 23.8 million owing to the unnecessary purchase of a chromatography machine by the Food Authority, and Rs 210 million due to the failure to renew business licenses on time.
Hum News is awaiting response from the Food Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regarding the audit’s findings. A formal statement from the provincial government is still awaited as well.
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