LAHORE:The Punjab government Saturday decided to conduct a third-party audit of the free wheat flour distribution scheme in Punjab.

Punjab Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi announced to have an impartial and transparent audit of the free Atta scheme to answer the baseless allegations leveled by some Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leaders.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has alleged that Rs20 billion was looted during the free floor distribution programme, which was first rolled out in Punjab.

Taking to Twitter, he penned that baseless allegations by some PML-N leaders regarding the “Free Atta Scheme” in Punjab being put to independent audit in the interest of transparency and financial prudence.

“We have decided to go for an immediate audit through Auditor General Pakistan office, and simultaneously through a private audit firm of established international repute,” he said adding that further, we have also sent a request to the Chairman NAB to check into the program to verify if anything of the sort has been done by any nefarious elements. The Punjab caretaker government already termed corruption allegations “false and fabricated”.