Massive Wheat Scam in Sindh: Millions of Bags Missing as Dadu/Johi Emerges Epicenter of Corruption
Wheat theft, fraud, and mismanagement to continue unchecked
Independent News
KARACHI/DADU: The wheat crisis in Sindh continues to deepen as revelations emerge of massive corruption, theft, and mismanagement within the provincial Food Department. Despite repeated disclosures, neither federal nor provincial authorities have taken effective action, leaving citizens to suffer from expensive flour while millions of wheat bags disappear from official records.
According to official sources within the Food Department, nearly 10 million wheat bags have gone missing in Sindh over the past several years. In 2019–2020 alone, about 4 million bags were reported stolen or unaccounted for, yet no significant action was taken against responsible officers. The failure to enforce accountability has emboldened corrupt elements, with the cycle of wheat theft recurring almost every other year.
District Dadu has been identified as the epicenter of the wheat corruption scandal. Sources revealed shocking figures:
Johi Taluka: 30,000–40,000 bags missing every two years
Khudabad & Dadu: around 60,000 bags
Khairpur Nathan Shah: over 100,000 bags
Mehar and adjoining areas: 38,000 bags
In each case, wheat was shown as stored in full godowns, while in reality, much of it was diverted, sold illegally, or kept under open skies until spoiled, later declared as “damaged stock.” Contractors, in alleged collusion with Food Department officials, manipulated transfers of wheat bags during February–March from local godowns to larger centers like Bolhari, using the process to cover up large-scale theft and fraud.
Despite repeated inquiries and exposés, senior officers of the Food Department avoid accountability by placing blame on lower-level food supervisors or district food officers. They are often suspended briefly but reinstated after a few months, allowing the corruption cycle to continue.
With investigations limited to paperwork and no decisive action on ground, wheat theft and fraud in Dadu and across Sindh remain rampant, worsening both food security and inflation for ordinary citizens.
