Inquiry into sugar scandal underway with rapid pace Says Shahzad Akbar

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 05 Jan 2023

ISLAMABAD:  to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Barrister Mirza Shahzad Akbar on Thursday has told that inquiry into the sugar scandal is underway at a rapid pace.

While addressing a press conference, the special assistant said that the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had decided to take action following a hike in sugar price.

Shahzad Akbar further told that transactions of Rs106 billion into 464 personal bank accounts were exposed while an amount of Rs32 crore was also seized. We cannot leave the masses at the mercy of the Sugar satta mafia, he asserted.

Earlier, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had lodged a case against PTI leader Jahangir Khan Tareen and his son Ali Tareen for their involvement in the sugar scandal.

Jahangir Tareen’s family, including their son-in-law, was accused of committing fraud of Rs 3.25 billion. The amount was moved from Jahangir Tareen’s JDW company to his son-in-law’s unfunctional paper factory and was then transferred to the accounts of the Tareen family.

A case was also filed against Jahangir Tareen’s right-hand man Rana Naseem who was former agriculture secretary. Sources familiar with the matter have informed that Rana Naseem was involved in embezzlement while purchasing sugarcane. He worked as a chief financial assistant in Tareen’s company.

On the other hand, Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) had allowed limited imports of sugar, cotton, and wheat from India in a bid to rein in rampant inflation, signaling a further thaw in relations between the two arch-foes.

The government said that permits would be granted for the import of half a million tons of sugar a move expected to slash the price of the commodity by up to 20 percent ahead of the forthcoming fasting month of Ramazan when consumption soars.

Three million tons of wheat would also be allowed to be brought in, as well as unspecified quantities of cotton and yarn.