ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Sukkur on Thursday said Pakistan Cotton & Ginners Association’s allegations were part of their attempts to malign and influence the bureau.

Vehemently rebuffing the accusations, a NAB spokesman said in a statement that the assertions were part of propaganda campaign to malign the Sukkur bureau besides exerting undue pressure to influence the ongoing proceedings against corrupt elements.

He said NAB had recovered Rs 10.612 billion from the corrupt elements in food scam.

NAB has also recovered Rs160,615,975/- and Rs15,786,098/- from few cotton ginners after brokering plea bargain.

NAB Sukkur had also unearthed a network of Food Department and other government officers and officials, who were operating since 2016 in an organized manner and on a large scale. The network consisted of Flour Mill owners, middle men, lower and top brass of food department and others.

The owner of Shahanshah Flour Mill was arrested. During the course of inquiry/investigation, the record revealed that Flour Mill owners collected huge amount of money from flour mill owners of district Ghotki in the pretext of getting relief from Food Minister, Secretary Food, Director Food, Deputy Director Food and District Food Controller.

The collected money for public office holders by both individuals is approximately more than one billion.

The relaxation to mill owners was given in four ways.

Firstly, mill owners got undue relief in issuance of bardana to few flour mill owners instead of real growers.

Secondly, the food department gave relief illegally by declaring flour mills, cotton mills and rice mills as PRCs instead of reserving the wheat at Govt owned godowns.

Thirdly, mill owners got relief unlawfully in relaxation of payment in 180 days under the garb of credit policy.

Fourthly, the food department with malafide intentions gave relief to the owners of flour mills and cotton factories to sell the govt wheat kept/reserved at their mills.