Samiullah Chaudhry resigns as Punjab food minister

LAHORE: Punjab Food Minister Samiullah Chaudhry on Monday resigned from his post amid flour and sugar scandal, ARY News reported.

The Punjab food minister tendered his resignation to Chief Minister Usman Buzdar during a meeting in Lahore.

His resignation comes after a report by the Federal Investigation Agency claimed that the Punjab food department failed to come up with a process for the demand and supply of the product.

The report stated that the Punjab Food Department was unable to control the flour crisis and food minister Samiullah Chaudhry did not take the measures in controlling the price hike.

The report revealed PTI stalwart Jahangir Khan Tareen, a brother of Food Minister Khusro Bakhtiyar, and PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi are among the beneficiaries of the sugar crisis which took a serious toll on the people, especially the poor.

The Punjab Food Department dragged its feet to maintain sufficient stock of wheat in the province and also failed to iron out a demand and supply mechanism, it claimed, adding the department didn’t take timely decisions to redress the situation.

Samiullah Chaudhry said that baseless allegations were leveled against him and he presents himself for accountability on every forum.

“I present myself for accountability on every forum,” Samiullah said.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that preliminary reports into sudden price hikes of sugar and wheat have been released immediately without alteration and tampering.

Taking to Twitter PM Imran Khan said that he awaits detailed forensic reports now by the high-powered commission, which will come out on April 25.

“I await the detailed forensic reports now by the high-powered commission, which will come out on 25 April, before taking action. InshaAllah, after these reports come out no powerful lobby will be able to profiteer at the expense of our public,” he said in a Tweet.