SARGODHA: The local wheat growers have expressed their reservation regarding the functioning of procurement centres, alleging that the food department officials are deducting 15kg wheat per 100kg sack, besides causing losses to the farmers by using faulty weighing machines at some centres in the district.

A farmer, Malik Allah Dita, alleged while speaking to Dawn that while buying 20 100kg sacks, the food department deducts 300kg extra wheat from a farmer, without any justification.

An in charge of a procurement centre in the Shahpur area, seeking anonymity, said that the farmers usually bring substandard wheat by mixing sand and dust in the sacks, so the department deducts extra wheat to compensate for the adulteration.

On the other hand, a local grain market broker, Hanan, accused food department employees of mixing sand and dust in the procured wheat to mint money by deceiving the growers as well as the government.

Accuse food officials of mixing sand and dust in wheat bags

A flour mills owner alleged that although he holds a licence (No 2662) to transport up to 860 tonnes of wheat to any place in Punjab, but the Sargodha food department officials forced him to unload 39 tons at a procurement centre, without any justification, only because he refused to grease their palms.

He alleged that many vehicles carrying the wheat as per permits issued by the government were being unloaded at procurement centres in Sargodha district just to harass the permit holders.

Meanwhile, during an ongoing crackdown on illegal storage and smuggling of wheat in Sargodha district, 2,000 hoarded sacks were recovered during a raid on a godown at Chak Lakhwal.

The raid was conducted by a team led by Sahiwal Assistant Commissioner Shamsur Rehman, comprising food department and Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (Pera) officials.

The recovered wheat has been shifted to Sargodha centre. According to the district administration, indiscriminate action is being taken against the

elements involved in illegal storage and smuggling of wheat.

INJURED SUSPECTS HELD: Police claimed to have arrested two suspected robbers in injured condition following an “encounter” in Sargodha, while two of their accomplices managed to escape.

According to sources, armed robbers snatched Rs130,000 and a motorcycle from a man at gunpoint on Nabi Shah Road in Bhalwal town of Sargodha and fled.

The police chased them and set up a picket at the canal bridge near Chak 15 NB.

The police claim that they signaled four suspicious men, riding three motorcycles, to stop,but they crossed the picket and entered a nearby orchard.

The suspects opened fire, that was returned by the police.

Following exchange of fire with the suspects, the police found two of them, later identified as Uzair and Attaullah, in an injured condition, while their as many accomplicesescaped, the police claim.

The police arrested the suspects, recovering an illegal 30-bore pistol, the stolen amount (Rs130,000) and motorcycle from them.

They were shifted to the hospital for treatment and the police are looking for the fleeing suspects.

ARRESTED: A rickshaw driver, who allegedly misbehaved with a woman on a road and tortured her, has been arrested by Sargodha city police.

A case has been registered against the suspect and the police are investigating.

According to police sources, a rickshaw driver, Barkat, allegedly misbehaved with a woman ona road in the Factory Area in Sargodha city and tortured her.

Taking immediate notice of the incident, the Factory Area police arrested the rickshaw driver and registered a case against him.

DPO Muhammad Sohaib Ashraf said that the suspect would be brought to justice and punished as per the law.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2026