Governament directs authorities to launch investigation against 'sugar mafia' [Update Post #312]

[Bewal Express]

I thought sugar mills made money by (1) getting subsidy for export and (2) increase in the price of sugar in local market. These 2 things should have made a lot of profit for them.

I did not expect that some of them made even more money by (3) faking the export papers. This is deceit of highest level.

You know how crooked they are, as all the mafia have Sugar Mills. They make billions, they get subsidies, they have damaged our textile industry as we don't produce cotton any more, they waste precious water as Sugar cane needs much more water than Cotton and they launder money. Your friends even disobeyed court orders and opened up more sugar Mills when it was strictly forbidden.
The Kaptaan is up against a mafia state, he will lose because they are too strong. Expect a fake crisis soon and an attempt to take power.

 

[Slim]

I thought sugar mills made money by (1) getting subsidy for export and (2) increase in the price of sugar in local market. These 2 things should have made a lot of profit for them.

I did not expect that some of them made even more money by (3) faking the export papers. This is deceit of highest level.

Oh god, that is just horrible. These people have no fear of God left in them.

 

[Slim]

I think they have always done that. I think that is the reason the Nooras have suddenly backtracked and Billo is not even talking about it. The Sugar supposedly exported was never sent out of the country except on paper and the exports were to Afghanistan, where no banking transaction records are kept. Just look at the different Noora responses from SS at the start to Dadu charger next day to Shahid Haqan Abbasi yesterday. This is getting very interesting and I hope the Kaptaan doesn't back down at the threats of the mafia.

I hope each and every penny is taken back from these thieves. My blood boiled reading this.

 

[Slim]

Who knows about Newyork and Paris Mansions (may be he is). However in Pakistan itself, it takes a lot of $$$ to run a large scale electoral campaign, do these Container dharnay and so on. Tareen is widely known to be a financier for PTI. Imran Khan is the head of PTI and now PM. Do the Maths yourself.

If Tareen decides to spend his own money for PTI causes, it is a free world and that is his wish. Why should IK refuse help from a financer?

Yes, you are making so much sense lol.
IK asks the FIA report, everyone thinks that it will be like those reports that Nooras and PPP asked on crisis on Sugar, chickens, eggs and petrol ie no report. Then the FIA start to do their report, then Journalists like Saleem Lifafi they would leave journalism if it gets printed, then when it's printed SS says action must be taken, and a few hours later when it dawns on them that an Forensic audit has already started, they back peddle furiously. Let's face you have added nothing on here IK and desperate to write something, hoping to look clever but the Kaptaan has already set a precedence that has never been seen in PK. His govt is under threat, I would go as far as to say the mafia will bring it down this year. I see from nothing from you and no amount of knit picking from you will change that.

Mental gymnastics from PTI supporters again. Knight_Rider raises some very valid points. Why dont you guys man up and understand that Khan is doing the right thing but still is party to the crime. This is not a perfect world, and the world is not black and white so i wont blame him for this. But for what he is doing now, i appreciate it.

 

[Slim]

As per you IK already knew all what was going on, but now he himself released a report regarding it. So is the good guy or bad guy in this fairy tale?

You are an absolute fool if you think IK is not aware on who is corrupt in his party. Stop with these manchildish arguments and be a grown up for once.

 

[Syed1]

You are an absolute fool if you think IK is not aware on who is corrupt in his party. Stop with these manchildish arguments and be a grown up for once.

So IK knew about JKT's wrong doing but NS and SS are totally aloof of how their children acquired all that wealth. I'd rather be a fool than a patwari like you.

 

[Bewal Express]

Mental gymnastics from PTI supporters again. Knight_Rider raises some very valid points. Why dont you guys man up and understand that Khan is doing the right thing but still is party to the crime. This is not a perfect world, and the world is not black and white so i wont blame him for this. But for what he is doing now, i appreciate it.

The Nooras were in power for the last 10 years and no charges were filed against JT or anyone. Why was that? IK comes to power and hoarding of Sugar and wheat takes place, he orders an enquiry by the FIA, they deliver their report without any favours, he released the report in its entirety. He promises an audit, the audit will be released. What I have I missed

 

[Bewal Express]

You are an absolute fool if you think IK is not aware on who is corrupt in his party. Stop with these manchildish arguments and be a grown up for once.

Let's wait for the the full audit. We had the audit on the Nooras with the JIT, do you accept the full findings of the JIT, if so then are you calling for all the Sharifs to be locked up.

 

[Savak]

Nooras do $ billions of dollars of corruption and the patwari's throw in logic like khata hai toh lagata bhi hai, system, jamhoriyat ko chalne do or pretend that corruption never occured

An Rs 10 issue with IK or PTI and all hell breaks loose

 

[Bewal Express]

I hope each and every penny is taken back from these thieves. My blood boiled reading this.

My friend no Nooras ever want the Sharifs to pay back a penny They celebrated the fact that he ran away, they look for every excuse to explain the Flats and billions. If JT is guilty, he needs to go down. But the Nooras put the Sharifs ahead of PK, they are a crooked cult. The biggest critics of the PTI are the PTI supporters, I dare you to find me one example of when the Sharifs and Zardaris were looting billions and people in their own party even asked a question, never mind challenge them.

 

[Bewal Express]

Nooras do $ billions of dollars of corruption and the patwari's throw in logic like khata hai toh lagata bhi hai, system, jamhoriyat ko chalne do or pretend that corruption never occured

An Rs 10 issue with IK or PTI and all hell breaks loose

It's funny that these guys hold the PTI to much higher standards and it makes me happy that they do. We should hold IK to higher standard as holding him to standard of these crooks is degrading to IK.

 

[Slim]

So IK knew about JKT's wrong doing but NS and SS are totally aloof of how their children acquired all that wealth. I'd rather be a fool than a patwari like you.

Not sure why you brought NS and SS here but they are corrupt.

 

[Knight_Rider]

Nooras do $ billions of dollars of corruption and the patwari's throw in logic like khata hai toh lagata bhi hai, system, jamhoriyat ko chalne do or pretend that corruption never occured

An Rs 10 issue with IK or PTI and all hell breaks loose

So you are telling us that because Nawaz did corruption, PTI also has a justification to do the same?

 

[Savak]

So you are telling us that because Nawaz did corruption, PTI also has a justification to do the same?

I focus on amounts and magnitude. You won't find a pure society anywhere. The PML-N and PPP have contributed to $64 billion of our foreign debts from 2008 to now and they contributed to $30 billion of our foreign debts in the 90's. Our total foreign debts are $100 billion. I agree with you that IK and PTI have been very soft on these parties, he should have gotten the torture chambers ready by now

 

[Abdullah719]

Sugar mountain

IN the famous novel All the King’s Men — on the rise and fall of Willie Stark, the fire-breathing governor of Louisiana — Stark meets crooked businessman Gummy Larson, who’s thought too dishonest to be awarded a major building contract.

Gummy is described as “a middle-sized, middle-aged, compact, grey-faced, grey-suited, unimaginative-looking man… He was strictly business and he didn’t do anything unless it paid”.

Stark, however, is a man of the people. He screams abuse at Gummy, but it makes no difference: the man “might have been standing in church, waiting for the benediction, for all his face showed”. In the end, Stark shocks everyone, and awards Gummy the contract. Stark’s fall begins, but nothing hurts Gummy, “not insult or anger or violence or getting his face beat into a hamburger. He was a true businessman. He knew the value of everything”.

Gummy Larson could be a stand-in for all our crony capitalists: market warriors that only serve their balance sheets. They may lack charisma, but they have just one argument to make, ‘Kaarobaar karna koi gunah hai’ (is doing business a sin)?

But kaarobaar implies value, the fruit of hard labour. Our cartels are the opposite: bloated, rent-seeking hustlers with shady origins and a shoddy product. So when the inquiry into the sugar crisis came, the report wasn’t a surprise. “The sugar industry in Pakistan is predominantly owned by politicians,” it reads. “Some of them despite being in the government have acted contrary to business laws/ethics and held sugar stocks that is tantamount to hoarding.”

For those wondering, this isn’t the FIA report from last week. It’s a press clipping of the NAB report from 2007. Back in the Musharraf era, the same players banked on our short memories, and triggered another countrywide crisis.

The 2020 remix was no less brazen. Mr Wajid Zia, having already uncovered the Sharif dynasty’s Qatari card tricks, is now investigating the one outfit even more entrenched in Punjab: the sugar cartel. It is in the public interest that he prevails. Per the first report, well-written and researched, the federal government decided to export sugar. It shouldn’t have, because our production was low. When sugar was exported, prices shot up. Then came the two-step: on top of an unjustified export, Punjab slapped an unjustified subsidy, worth billions of rupees.

The FIA called out the biggest beneficiaries: “It can be seen that the sugar mill owners who availed maximum subsidy had political clout and influence in decision-making”. Our Gummy Larsons, with their buddies in the cabinet, seem to have double-dipped: first into subsidies abroad, and then into soaring prices at home.

For many, it’s the same old vultures — who cares? But the consequences go far beyond corruption: our frantic push into sugar is a disaster, because of the nature of our land. In Punjab, to grow sugar is to grow poison. The climate’s wrong, the rainfall’s wrong, the sucrose is low, the yield is low, and the cost to the cotton belt is breathtakingly high — last year was cotton’s worst in a decade.

In one of the world’s most eco-stressed countries, sugarcane is also a water vampire: it sucks the ground dry (equivalent to three Kalabagh dams, per a superb special report by Samaa), and takes 12 months to grow, much longer than cotton. It’s bad economics to plant, uncompetitive to sell, and absurd to subsidise. Even the end-product is a killer on its own, bursting with heart disease, diabetes, and depression.

When it comes to shunning our sugar barons — and much more important, reforming our agriculture — Imran Khan has a real chance. His family owns no sugar mills, unlike a former prime minister’s. He isn’t being investigated for grabbing more mills via dummy companies, unlike a former president. But after this latest scam, fed and watered by his own cabinet, the onus of course-correction lies squarely on him. It’s time to act.

Though this isn’t the first time a sugar crisis has happened in this country, it has to be the last. The Competition Commission, mired in lawsuits by big business, must be empowered to bust the cartels, and parliament must cure any infirmities in the commission’s parent act. Subject to the findings of the FIA’s final report, legal proceedings must ensue for any miller that hoarded or profiteered off the public. Cabinet members that spearheaded the subsidy must be formally identified and sacked. Growing sugar only makes sense for some parts of Sindh; in Punjab, it must be phased out entirely (the Supreme Court has already suggested it in the cotton belt), to say nothing of its ridiculous support price. Our agricultural policies must refocus on different crops, and their production, R&D, and harvest area must take centre-stage.

A German writer once said the world was made of sugar and dirt. In Pakistan, there’s little difference between the two. Either we root out the first, or get buried in the second.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1548549

 

[Bewal Express]

Sugar mountain

IN the famous novel All the King’s Men — on the rise and fall of Willie Stark, the fire-breathing governor of Louisiana — Stark meets crooked businessman Gummy Larson, who’s thought too dishonest to be awarded a major building contract.

Gummy is described as “a middle-sized, middle-aged, compact, grey-faced, grey-suited, unimaginative-looking man… He was strictly business and he didn’t do anything unless it paid”.

Stark, however, is a man of the people. He screams abuse at Gummy, but it makes no difference: the man “might have been standing in church, waiting for the benediction, for all his face showed”. In the end, Stark shocks everyone, and awards Gummy the contract. Stark’s fall begins, but nothing hurts Gummy, “not insult or anger or violence or getting his face beat into a hamburger. He was a true businessman. He knew the value of everything”.

Gummy Larson could be a stand-in for all our crony capitalists: market warriors that only serve their balance sheets. They may lack charisma, but they have just one argument to make, ‘Kaarobaar karna koi gunah hai’ (is doing business a sin)?

But kaarobaar implies value, the fruit of hard labour. Our cartels are the opposite: bloated, rent-seeking hustlers with shady origins and a shoddy product. So when the inquiry into the sugar crisis came, the report wasn’t a surprise. “The sugar industry in Pakistan is predominantly owned by politicians,” it reads. “Some of them despite being in the government have acted contrary to business laws/ethics and held sugar stocks that is tantamount to hoarding.”

For those wondering, this isn’t the FIA report from last week. It’s a press clipping of the NAB report from 2007. Back in the Musharraf era, the same players banked on our short memories, and triggered another countrywide crisis.

The 2020 remix was no less brazen. Mr Wajid Zia, having already uncovered the Sharif dynasty’s Qatari card tricks, is now investigating the one outfit even more entrenched in Punjab: the sugar cartel. It is in the public interest that he prevails. Per the first report, well-written and researched, the federal government decided to export sugar. It shouldn’t have, because our production was low. When sugar was exported, prices shot up. Then came the two-step: on top of an unjustified export, Punjab slapped an unjustified subsidy, worth billions of rupees.

The FIA called out the biggest beneficiaries: “It can be seen that the sugar mill owners who availed maximum subsidy had political clout and influence in decision-making”. Our Gummy Larsons, with their buddies in the cabinet, seem to have double-dipped: first into subsidies abroad, and then into soaring prices at home.

For many, it’s the same old vultures — who cares? But the consequences go far beyond corruption: our frantic push into sugar is a disaster, because of the nature of our land. In Punjab, to grow sugar is to grow poison. The climate’s wrong, the rainfall’s wrong, the sucrose is low, the yield is low, and the cost to the cotton belt is breathtakingly high — last year was cotton’s worst in a decade.

In one of the world’s most eco-stressed countries, sugarcane is also a water vampire: it sucks the ground dry (equivalent to three Kalabagh dams, per a superb special report by Samaa), and takes 12 months to grow, much longer than cotton. It’s bad economics to plant, uncompetitive to sell, and absurd to subsidise. Even the end-product is a killer on its own, bursting with heart disease, diabetes, and depression.

When it comes to shunning our sugar barons — and much more important, reforming our agriculture — Imran Khan has a real chance. His family owns no sugar mills, unlike a former prime minister’s. He isn’t being investigated for grabbing more mills via dummy companies, unlike a former president. But after this latest scam, fed and watered by his own cabinet, the onus of course-correction lies squarely on him. It’s time to act.

Though this isn’t the first time a sugar crisis has happened in this country, it has to be the last. The Competition Commission, mired in lawsuits by big business, must be empowered to bust the cartels, and parliament must cure any infirmities in the commission’s parent act. Subject to the findings of the FIA’s final report, legal proceedings must ensue for any miller that hoarded or profiteered off the public. Cabinet members that spearheaded the subsidy must be formally identified and sacked. Growing sugar only makes sense for some parts of Sindh; in Punjab, it must be phased out entirely (the Supreme Court has already suggested it in the cotton belt), to say nothing of its ridiculous support price. Our agricultural policies must refocus on different crops, and their production, R&D, and harvest area must take centre-stage.

A German writer once said the world was made of sugar and dirt. In Pakistan, there’s little difference between the two. Either we root out the first, or get buried in the second.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1548549

Great article. IK has a great chance to make a difference. He needs to get the mafia before they get him.

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD/LONDON: On January 18, 2019, merely months after the PTI government had been formed, the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) cleared a pre-merger application filed by Gulf Sugar Mills, which was being acquired by AKT Sugar Mills.

AKT Sugar Mills is wholly owned by Jehangir Khan Tareen, also known as JKT, widely considered one of the most powerful sugar barons of Pakistan.

C.M. and M.A.M., the owners of Gulf Sugar Mills, sold the mill to JKT for an estimated minimum price of Rs11.5 billion, according to industry experts. No money trail regarding these funds has been provided and no governmental institution is investigating this sale.

Weeks before the sale, Imperial Sugar Mills, which was owned and controlled by Naveed Sheikh, was also sold to JKT. On January 4, 2019, the Board of Directors of Imperial Sugar Mills agreed to the sale of freehold land, buildings on freehold land, plant and machinery and other assets of the company located at Karmanwala, Tehsil Phalia, District Mandi Bahauddin, according to a notification issued by the company.

It is estimated that Jehangir Tareen bought Imperial Sugar Mills for a minimum price of Rs7.5 billion.

According to industry insiders, both mills were loss-making enterprises, which is why the owners were happy to sell them. They had no idea know how they could be turned into profitable enterprises.

The sugar crisis and subsequent inquiry
According to the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) inquiry report regarding the crisis earlier this year, it is clear that a handful of the political elite benefitted greatly from the sharp hike in sugar prices earlier this year, when prices artificially jumped from Rs55 to Rs80 per kilogramme. The report also highlights that the Punjab government played an instrumental role in precipitating the crisis.

On paper, Jehangir Khan Tareen controls approximately 20% of the sugar market in Pakistan.Yet no governmental organisation has ever investigated the true scope of his investments in the sugar industry. While the FIA report takes note of Tareen's investment's in the JDW (Jamal Din Wali) Group, in which he has a 37% share, his other investments in mills like the Imperial and Gulf sugar mills have not been discussed.

There’s a reason why that is important.

The FIA report, which has been authored by DG FIA Wajid Zia — of Panama Papers fame — states: "Despite the availability of relevant laws, no data on the stocking of sugar has been maintained. The hoarding of sugar at the level of mills is also a possibility, as the mills have very large godowns where stock can be kept after sales."

In simple terms, this means that there is still not enough clarity as to which sugar mill played exactly what role in artificially inflating the prices of sugar. Therefore, while the FIA does indeed hold Jahangir Tareen guilty, till the extent of JKT’s holdings in the industry is clear, it is difficult to say exactly how guilty he is.

While the FIA report states that JKT is the ultimate beneficiary of the export subsidy, with 22% of the subsidy amount going to him due to his investments in the JDW Group, it does not mention how he has benefited from his other, similar investments.

The report also raises the question of whether declared sales and production quantities of sugar mills are to be believed, when the Punjab government itself accepts that there is no data on the stocking of sugar available with it.

The sugar inquiry report notes that even though Pakistan had a surplus of approximately 2 million metric tonnes of sugar in previous years, a shortfall was artificially created by subsidizing sugar for export, which created a shortage in the market.

Despite multiple warnings that there had been a bad crop in the previous year, the Punjab government had approved a subsidy of Rs3 billion to export sugar, which had created a shortfall in the domestic market. The inevitable result of this shortage was an increase in sugar prices by 30-40%.

With the finger pointing at him, JKT has instead blamed Azam Khan, who serves as the secretary to Prime Minister Imran Khan, for harbouring a personal vendetta against him. However, he has yet to comment on why he invested billions in loss-making sugar mills right after the PTI formed its government.

The Supreme Court had previously disqualified JKT from contesting elections for being "dishonest". JKT was found guilty of insider trading using his personal staff as frontmen. Even before that, however, a commission headed by former Singh High Court Chief Justice Wajihuddin Ahmed had found Tareen guilty of buying and selling votes during PTI's intraparty elections.

Despite the fact that Imran Khan had himself formed the commission, Justice Wajih was kicked out while Jehangir Tareen's grip on the party became stronger.

Even PTI loyalist and legal expert Hamid Khan has said that it was Tareen who corrupted the party and changed it from what it fundamentally was.

The final report of the FIA is due on April 25, 2020. Sugarcane growers, middlemen and wholesalers expect that Tareen's other investments in sugar will also be brought to light to present a clearer picture as to how the market ended up being so dominated by one powerful man, who is considered extremely close to Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Tareen and his family were contacted to give their version for this story, but as of the filing of this report, have not responded to requests for comment.

In the past, JKT has defended himself saying he has captured a large share of the sugar market due to years of hard work. He says there is nothing illegal about what he has done, and dismissed criticism that he benefited from state-sponsored subsidies, pointing out they benefited everyone, including his competition and his political opponents.

The purchase of loss-making sugar mills and turning them profitable should, therefore, be seen as a sign of his business acumen rather than any irregularity.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/283227-the-dubious-sales-of-gulf-imperial-sugar-mills-to-jahangir-tareen

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: As many as 24 sugar mills received Rs11.8 billion in freight subsidies from the federal and Punjab governments in 2017 and 2019 combined, official data submitted to the commission probing the sugar crisis has revealed.

Nearly Rs9.4 billion was released in 2017 — under the subsidy scheme on exports — by then prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif, notes data prepared by the State Bank of Pakistan for the inquiry commission tasked with probing the recent hike in sugar prices. Of the amount, the Centre and Punjab government gave near equal subsidies to the sugar mills.

Later, in 2019, 15 of the 24 mills — located in Punjab — received nearly Rs2.5 billion released by the incumbent chief minister Usman Buzdar, as per official data seen by Geo.tv.

In 2016 and 2017, the federal cabinet's Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) allowed the export of two million metric tonnes of sugar, with the support price of Rs10.70 per kg.

Those who benefited included the JDW Group which is owned by Jahangir Khan Tareen, a senior PTI leader. Tareen was the principal beneficiary of the total subsidies dispensed. His mill received Rs2.3 billion during the PML-N tenure of which JDW took home Rs1.8 billion as freight support on sugar exports from the Punjab and federal governments.

Last year, Tareen’s second unit, JK Sugar Mills Pvt. Ltd, received Rs5 million from the Punjab chief minister.

Others, such as Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar who belongs to the ruling party, businessman Chaudhry Munir, and PML-Q’s Chaudhry Moonis Elahi, received Rs2.8 billion collectively from the federal and Punjab governments as freight support on exports in 2017 and 2019.

The breakdown of subsidies is as follows:

• Two Star Industries Pvt. Ltd received a subsidy of nearly Rs1.2 billion from the Centre and Punjab in 2017 and nearly Rs180 million in 2019 from the Punjab government.

• The RYK Mills Ltd., owned by Bakhtiar’s family, received nearly Rs889 million in 2017 from the Centre and Punjab and almost Rs89 million in 2019 from the Punjab government.

• Two units of Etihad Sugar Mills Ltd, jointly owned by Bakhtiar’s family and the Chaudhrys, received nearly Rs370 million from the Punjab and federal governments in 2017 and nearly Rs184 million from the Punjab government in 2019.

• Hunza Sugar Mills Ltd. got nearly Rs1.6 billion from the federal and Punjab governments in 2017 and more than Rs429 million from Punjab in 2019. The owners of the company are Chaudhry Idrees, Chaudhry Muhammad Saeed and Chaudhry Waheed.

• Shamim Khan — a cousin of Jahangir Tareen — and his son, Nauman Khan, got more than Rs1 billion as subsidy from the Centre as well as from the government of Punjab in 2017 and 2019 combined. Their unit Al-Moiz Industries received nearly Rs242 million, while the Thal Industries Corporation Ltd. got nearly Rs165 million from Punjab government during 2019. Meanwhile, these units collectively got nearly Rs670 million from the federal and Punjab governments in 2017.

• Indus Sugar Mill got more than Rs365 million as subsidy from the federal and Punjab governments during 2017 and 2019. The unit is owned by family of Sardar Nasrullah Khan. In 2017, it received nearly Rs217 million from the Centre and Punjab, whereas in 2019, it was awarded more than Rs148 million export subsidy by the Punjab government.

• Mian Faisal Mukhtar, owner of Fatima Sugar Mills Ltd., got approximately Rs1.51 billion in subsidy from both the federal and Punjab governments in 2017 and 2019 combined. In 2019, the subsidy amounted to nearly Rs249 million. The mill’s owner and directors, Fahd and Fawad Mukhtar, had previously worked with the PML-Q.

• Noon Sugar Mills Ltd., owned by Adnan Hayat Noon, got nearly Rs196 million as subsidy from the federal and Punjab governments in 2017 and 2019. Adnan Hayat is from the family of Malik Feroz Khan Noon, the former prime minister of Pakistan.

• Popular Sugar Mills Ltd., owned by Imamuddin, got nearly Rs95 million as freight support from the federal and Punjab government in 2017.

• Jauharabad Sugar Mills, owned by Sheikh Ahsan Altaf, got nearly Rs74 million as subsidy from the federal and Punjab government on sugar export in 2017 and 2019 combined.

• Tandlianwala Sugar Mills Ltd. got more than Rs16 million from the Centre and Punjab as sugar export subsidy in 2017. The mill is owned by brothers, Haroon and Hamayun Akhtar.

• Pattoki Sugar Mills Ltd., owned by Chaudhry Aslam, got more than Rs5 million from the Centre and Punjab government as subsidy in 2017.

• Husein Sugar Mills Ltd., owned by Mian Ahmed, got subsidy of more than Rs32 million from the federal and Punjab governments in 2017.

• Hamza Sugar Mills Ltd. of late Haji Nisar got subsidy worth nearly Rs213 million from the federal and provincial government in 2017.

• Darya Khan Sugar Mills Ltd., also owned by Chaudhry Aslam, got a subsidy of more than Rs4.2 million from Punjab and the Centre in 2017.

• Ashraf Sugar Mills Ltd., owned by Zaka Ashraf, got subsidy worth more than Rs72 million from the Punjab and federal governments in 2017.

• Sheikhoo Sugar Mills got Rs456 million collectively from federal and Punjab governments as subsidy during 2017 and 2019. The unit got subsidy of nearly Rs374 million in 2017 from Punjab and the Centre, and more than Rs56 million in 2019 from Punjab government. Seth Anis owns this unit.

• Huda Sugar Mills Ltd., owned by Mohan Lal, got a subsidy worth more than Rs276 million from the Punjab and Centre in 2017 and 2019 combined.

• Ramzan Sugar Mills, owned by Suleman Shahbaz, son of former Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif, got nearly Rs236 million from the federal and Punjab government collectively as subsidy in 2017.

• Javid Shafi, relative of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, got almost Rs210 million from the Centre and Punjab government as subsidy in 2017. The unit is named Kashmir Sugar Mills Ltd.

• Adam Sugar Mills Ltd, owned by Seth Umar Memon, got nearly Rs235 million from the federal and Punjab governments as subsidy in 2017.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/283622-24...ht-support-from-punjab-and-centre-probe-finds

 

[srh]

There are news that the government is only investigating Jahangir Tareen's sugar mills and not other sugar mills which have taken lot more money than Jahangir Tareen; if true then the fix is in and public has been fooled again in the name of accountability

 

[Abdullah719]

CCI's senior office-bearers involved in 'match-fixing' to be removed, says Awan

The prime minister has directed that those people who are on senior positions in the Competition Commission of Pakistan and have been "match-fixing" by helping mill owners be removed from their positions, SAPM Firdous Ashiq Awan said in a media briefing.

https://www.dawn.com/live-blog/

 

[Bewal Express]

There are news that the government is only investigating Jahangir Tareen's sugar mills and not other sugar mills which have taken lot more money than Jahangir Tareen; if true then the fix is in and public has been fooled again in the name of accountability

So he is investigating his closest political ally and that is a fix. I wish we had more fixes like this!

 

[BoomBoomCricket]

ISLAMABAD: The executive board of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday decided to take action against those involved in creating rece*n*tly a shortage of sugar and wheat flour in the country.

A meeting of the executive board presided over by NAB chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal “approved conducting of comprehensive investigations of prime mega scam of wheat and sugar, including billions of rupees looting, price hike, smuggling and subsidy on sugar,” said a press release issued by the NAB headquarters.

Meanwhile, the federal cabinet approved restructuring of the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) to make it a powerful and effective government entity.

“The cabinet approved restructuring of CCP which was playing in the hands of powerful cartels and safeguarding their interests and facilitating them in courts,” Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Infor*mation and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said in a press conference after the cabinet meeting.

She said the cabinet approved the restructuring plan under which CCP officials sitting in their positions for years would be changed and its appellate tribunal would be completed to dispose of pending cases involving Rs27 billion.

Dr Awan said the sugar mills association and wheat flour mills association had to pay Rs27bn to the government but got stay orders from the courts. “Some of these cases were pending for over 11 years,” she said.

She said the government would not tolerate any collaboration of state institutions with cartels and the policies that were against the interests of people.

On April 5, two inquiry reports on the recent sugar and wheat crises were made public, exposing Jahangir Tareen of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Minister for Food Security Khusro Bakhtiar, Monis Elahi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid and others for their alleged involvement in the scam.

The NAB executive board authorised inquiries against officers of the Capital Development Authority, management of a private housing scheme called River Garden Housing Society and probes into mega corruption in the Pakistan Petroleum Limited.

It accorded approval for referring complaints against management of International Islamic University and others to a relevant department as per law.

The meeting approved closing of inquiries against officials of the Privatisation Commission of Pakistan; retired Justice Malik Qayyum, former Attorney General of Pakistan; Prof Dr Ikramullah Khan, Head of Dermatology, PIMS, Islamabad; managing committee of Interior Employees Cooperative Housing Society, Raja Ali Akbar and others because of lack of evidence.

During the meeting, Justice Iqbal said that NAB always believed in concentrating on merits of case without caring about the face behind the case and taking it to the logical conclusion.

He said the bureau had filed 610 corruption references in various accountability courts during the past two years.

“NAB under the leadership of Justice Javed Iqbal has directly or indirectly recovered record Rs 78 billion from corrupt elements in last two years and deposited the money in the national exchequer,” the press release said.

The performance of NAB, he said, had already been acknowledged by reputed international organisations, including the World Economic Forum.

Currently 1,275 corruption references having accumulated value of Rs943bn were under trial in various accountability courts, he said.

The NAB chairman urged people and the regulator to play their role to check the mushroom growth of illegal housing societies.

He asked print and electronic media to confirm authenticity, including availability of land, approval of layout plan and NOC, from the relevant regulator, of a housing society before printing/ broadcasting the advertisement campaign.

“This is essential as some housing societies exist only on paper and they do not have approval from the relevant regulator and later cheat people due to their attractive advertisements,” he added.

Justice Iqbal directed all regional heads of NAB to take complaint verification, inquiries and investigation within the prescribed time frame.

He also directed investigation officers, prosecutors to pursue the cases with complete preparations, collect concrete evidence as per law so that the corrupt elements could be punished.

Source: Dawn

 

[Bewal Express]

ISLAMABAD: The executive board of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday decided to take action against those involved in creating rece*n*tly a shortage of sugar and wheat flour in the country.

A meeting of the executive board presided over by NAB chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal “approved conducting of comprehensive investigations of prime mega scam of wheat and sugar, including billions of rupees looting, price hike, smuggling and subsidy on sugar,” said a press release issued by the NAB headquarters.

Meanwhile, the federal cabinet approved restructuring of the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) to make it a powerful and effective government entity.

“The cabinet approved restructuring of CCP which was playing in the hands of powerful cartels and safeguarding their interests and facilitating them in courts,” Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Infor*mation and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said in a press conference after the cabinet meeting.

She said the cabinet approved the restructuring plan under which CCP officials sitting in their positions for years would be changed and its appellate tribunal would be completed to dispose of pending cases involving Rs27 billion.

Dr Awan said the sugar mills association and wheat flour mills association had to pay Rs27bn to the government but got stay orders from the courts. “Some of these cases were pending for over 11 years,” she said.

She said the government would not tolerate any collaboration of state institutions with cartels and the policies that were against the interests of people.

On April 5, two inquiry reports on the recent sugar and wheat crises were made public, exposing Jahangir Tareen of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Minister for Food Security Khusro Bakhtiar, Monis Elahi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid and others for their alleged involvement in the scam.

The NAB executive board authorised inquiries against officers of the Capital Development Authority, management of a private housing scheme called River Garden Housing Society and probes into mega corruption in the Pakistan Petroleum Limited.

It accorded approval for referring complaints against management of International Islamic University and others to a relevant department as per law.

The meeting approved closing of inquiries against officials of the Privatisation Commission of Pakistan; retired Justice Malik Qayyum, former Attorney General of Pakistan; Prof Dr Ikramullah Khan, Head of Dermatology, PIMS, Islamabad; managing committee of Interior Employees Cooperative Housing Society, Raja Ali Akbar and others because of lack of evidence.

During the meeting, Justice Iqbal said that NAB always believed in concentrating on merits of case without caring about the face behind the case and taking it to the logical conclusion.

He said the bureau had filed 610 corruption references in various accountability courts during the past two years.

“NAB under the leadership of Justice Javed Iqbal has directly or indirectly recovered record Rs 78 billion from corrupt elements in last two years and deposited the money in the national exchequer,” the press release said.

The performance of NAB, he said, had already been acknowledged by reputed international organisations, including the World Economic Forum.

Currently 1,275 corruption references having accumulated value of Rs943bn were under trial in various accountability courts, he said.

The NAB chairman urged people and the regulator to play their role to check the mushroom growth of illegal housing societies.

He asked print and electronic media to confirm authenticity, including availability of land, approval of layout plan and NOC, from the relevant regulator, of a housing society before printing/ broadcasting the advertisement campaign.

“This is essential as some housing societies exist only on paper and they do not have approval from the relevant regulator and later cheat people due to their attractive advertisements,” he added.

Justice Iqbal directed all regional heads of NAB to take complaint verification, inquiries and investigation within the prescribed time frame.

He also directed investigation officers, prosecutors to pursue the cases with complete preparations, collect concrete evidence as per law so that the corrupt elements could be punished.

Source: Dawn

NAB is corrupt and a defender of the crooks. As soon as any case goes to NAB it never goes anywhere. It is a mafia front.

 

[srh]

NAB is corrupt and a defender of the crooks. As soon as any case goes to NAB it never goes anywhere. It is a mafia front.

Told you fix is in. NAB has not prosecuted anybody successfully. I am still hopeful that Imran Khan is not involved in this fix and he sincerely wants to prosecute all the culprits and not just those who fall out of favour.

 

[Bewal Express]

Told you fix is in. NAB has not prosecuted anybody successfully. I am still hopeful that Imran Khan is not involved in this fix and he sincerely wants to prosecute all the culprits and not just those who fall out of favour.

If IK never wanted to fix it, he would have never ordered any report- just look at your Noora friends and their reports on the Petrol shortage, or the Sugar Shortage, was there any investigation they promised, if so what happened to them. IK is genuine, and he is up against a mafia that is unforgiving. IK cant fix NAB, its a constitutional body, it requires a 2/3 majority to change it. IA he gets his 2/3 majority and then takes full responsibility for reforming the mafia front.

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar on Saturday announced that the forensic report due today for public release has been postponed, ARY News reported.

Shahzad Akbar said that the commission tasked with the forensic examination of the wheat, sugar inquiry report has sought more time for its evaluation.

Read More: FIA seeks two weeks to submit forensic report on wheat, sugar scam

“A total of 3 more weeks have been asked for by the investigative commission,” said Shahzad Akbar.

The request made by the investigators will now be tendered in the next federal cabinet session and a decision will then be made on the matter.

Earlier on April 22, Sources privy to the government quarters revealed that the national accountability bureau (NAB) has agreed on formation of a joint investigation team to determine culprits of wheat, sugar crisis, ARY News reported.

NAB Rawalpindi has been tasked with the primary investigations into the national wheat and sugar crisis scandal.

Director General NAB Rawalpindi, Irfan Naeem Mangi will lead the joint investigative team consisting of individuals from other Law Enforcing Agencies of the country.

Sources further entailed that the investigation team will be empowered to summon whoever they deem related to the crime for questioning.

https://arynews.tv/en/forensic-commission-probing-wheat-sugar-report/

 

[MenInG]

Awan blasts Shehbaz Sharif on commission inquiry remarks

The prime minister's aide on information Firdous Ashiq Awan blasted the Leader of the Opposition and PML-N chief Shehbaz Sharif for creating doubts over the two-week delay in the report on the wheat and sugar crises.

Awan said that the prime minister was constantly urging to refrain from "doing politics on corona but some person — who was socially distanced in the political arena as well — was making comments against the premier which we then are forced to respond to".

She added that "no government can defeat such a big challenge unless the government and opposition unite for the sake of the people".

 

[MRSN]

nothing will come out of this.

 

[Bewal Express]

nothing will come out of this.

As a Noora can you tell us what happened to the Petrol hoarding in 2015, or the Sugar hoarding in 2013, did they hold an enquiry as promised, what were the results? Dont expect you to reply, Nooras just run. BTW Nooras didnt expect an enquiry on this, told us they would never release but now cant wait an extra couple of weeks. Why the panic of 2 extra weeks?

 

[MenInG]

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif has denounced the three-week delay in the release of the final report on the sugar crisis, saying that it is an "admission of guilt" on the part of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

His remarks on Sunday come a day after the inquiry commission tasked with probing with the sugar crisis has requested that a further three weeks be granted "for the submisison of a thorough report".

The premier's aide on accountability, Mirza Shahzad Akbar, had said that the request will be considered by the federal cabinet on Tuesday.

Committee, and all those who granted [the sugar mills] subsidies are responsible for this crisis," said Sharif, in his scathing remarks today.

"Imran Khan Niazi and Usman Buzdar are behind all the decisions," added Sharif.

He said that the delay in the report's release is "evidence of the Rs100bn robbery committed by the government" and was an attempt to protect the identities of the actual ones responsible for the "sugar theft".

"Concealing the findings of the sugar inquiry report will not hide Imran Khan's crime," said the PML-N president.

Sharif said that the people "know full well who is behind the wheat and sugar shortages" in the country and the truth will not be hidden from them.

The opposition leader said there was "no further need of an inquiry or forensic audit". "The inquiry commission is not fair in its dealings. The [economic coordination] committee members themselves are part of the inquiry committee," he said.

He demanded that PML-N senior vice president Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and party member Khurram Dastagir be allowed an audience with the inquiry commission.

"If our nominated members are allowed to give a statement, the facts will be separated from fiction," said Sharif.

'Politically relevant'
In response, the government's chief spokesperson Firdous Ashiq Awan said that blaming the prime minister was an attempt by Sharif "to remain politically relevant".

While addressing a news conference in Sialkot, Awan said that on the request of the inquiry commission, the matter of a three-week extension will be deliberated in a session of the Cabinet tomorrow.

She said that the commission's purpose in asking for an extension was to "ensure transparency".

"Mr Shehbaz Sharif, the greatest beneficiary over the last 10 years [from subsidies] is your son," she said, addressing the opposition leader.

"No son, brother or any relative of the prime minister's is involved in this scandal."

Awan said that it was a peculiar case in the country's history "how the uncle granted his nephew a subsidy and the father granted his son a subsidy".

She vowed that the government remains steadfast in its resolve to enforce the rule of law in the land. "Imran Khan's government will stand vindicated."

 

[Syed1]

As a Noora can you tell us what happened to the Petrol hoarding in 2015, or the Sugar hoarding in 2013, did they hold an enquiry as promised, what were the results? Dont expect you to reply, Nooras just run. BTW Nooras didnt expect an enquiry on this, told us they would never release but now cant wait an extra couple of weeks. Why the panic of 2 extra weeks?

As expected he ran away.... Just like Noora ran away to London after he couldn't take it anymore in jail these worthless patwaris run away when challenged.

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: The Inquiry Commission on Sugar (ICoS) has traced around 50,000 unregistered buyers who have been involved in transactions worth hundreds of billions of rupees, a move that may lead the investigators to trace the actual culprits who, by increasing the price of sugar by Rs23 to Rs27 per kg, extracted over Rs120 billion as extra profit direct from pockets of consumers in past sixteen months.

This development came days after the teams of ICoS traced hundreds of 'suspicious benami transactions' worth Rs362 billion which were linked to out of books sale of over 6 MMT of sugar by the mills owners during past five years.

"We have detected 50, 000 unregistered buyers. Out of those, around 40,000 have not filed their tax returns. We suspect that the millers evaded taxes worth billions of rupees through such practice," revealed a senior official who is a part of nine teams conducting forensic audit (on behalf of the ICOS) of six sugar producing companies.

"We are evaluating some exclusive data received from servers of nine sugar mills which have allegedly been involved in purchasing out of the books cane from farmers through hundreds of brokers and middle men, and subsequently manipulating supply to the market to maximise profiteering," added the official seeking anonymity.

More details emerge about the un-registered buyers
Exclusive details obtained by Geo News from sources associated with ICoS revealed that Hamza Sugar Mills Ltd. sold sugar to 31,000 unregistered buyers. Out of those 31,000 buyers, a staggering number of 28,000 had never filed their returns with tax authorities. The unit which is owned by late Haji Nisar also got subsidy worth nearly Rs213 million from the federal and provincial governments during 2017.

JWD group mills owned by Jahangir Khan Tareen sold sugar to 4,000 non-registered buyers where 86 buyers were not filing their returns with FBR, official documents revealed. Tareen's mills received Rs2.3 billion collectively from the federal and provincial governments during 2017 and 2019 as freight support on sugar exports.

Al-Moiz Sugar Mills sold sugar to 1,700 unregistered buyers where 75 were not registered as tax payers. Shamim Khan — a cousin of Jahangir Tareen — and his son Nauman Khan, also got Rs1 billion as subsidy from the Centre as well as from the government of Punjab in 2017 and 2019 combined.

Exclusive details also revealed that Al-Arabia Sugar Mills owned by Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz and his brother Salman Shahbaz sold sugar to 1,289 non registered buyers out of which 1,200 buyers had never filed their tax returns.

Alliance Sugar Mills, Ghotki, owned by Federal Minister Khusro Bakhtiar's family, sold sugar to 900 unregistered buyers where 75 were not registered with tax authorities.

Hunza I and Hunza 2 Sugar Mills Ltd sold sugar around 1100 unregistered buyers where 117 were non filers. The units got nearly Rs1.6 billion from the federal and Punjab governments in 2017 and more than Rs429 million from Punjab in 2019. Chaudhry Idrees, Chaudhry Muhammad Saeed and Chaudhry Waheed owned those units.

The inquiry commission also identified 3,000 brokers and middle men who controlled monopoly over the domestic sugar market and helped millers to earned extra profit which was directly extracted from consumer pockets.

"We've got details of 295 brokers from State Bank of Pakistan. Brokers are also focus of our investigations. Majority of them are from Babar Center and Akbari Mandi Lahore and Jurian Bazar Karachi who control complete monopoly over domestic sugar prices," a senior official involved in the exercise of compiling that data told Geo News.

Millers did not pay much direct tax (income tax) during past five years and some even showed business losses and claimed refunds worth Rs7.8 billion, he said, adding that the Commission was contemplating to take more time to investigate tax evasion matter of millers who collectively sold 6.4 MMT sugar out of books and those brokers who in connivance with some of the industrialists evaded taxes, sales taxes in particular.

Investigators claimed that millers and brokers have doggedly sold out of books (Tax evaded sales) sugar worth Rs33 billion during past five years. The breakup included: Some Rs4.9 billion against 1.12 MMT sugar during 2015-16, Rs6.1 billion against 1.55 MMT sugar during 2016-17, Rs5.9 billion against 1.45 MMT sugar during 2017-18, Rs5 billion against 1.15 MMT sugar during 2018-19 and Rs11 billion against 1.1 MMT sugar during 2019-2020.

These sugar mills collectively sold sugar worth Rs905 billion in domestic and international markets by receiving subsidy worth Rs24.9 billion from provincial as well as from federal government during past three years. Millers sold sugar worth Rs709 billion in domestic market while Rs196 billion were earned through export of sugar. During past four years these mills held 38% of total sugar market in the country and received Rs262 billion in 2017-18, Rs335 billion and Rs172 billion by selling sugar in domestic market during 2019-20. Rest of 62% industry is not facing any inquiry or forensic audit, questioned owners of nine mills, now facing commission's wrath.

Interviews with some officials associated with the commission revealed to Geo News that probing teams got details of around three dozen suspicious accounts opened in the names of employees of different sugar mills where transactions of over Rs500 billion were made during past five years. Those were 'benami' transactions and the officials claim that thousands of suspicious transactions could further come to light during the coming days. Apparently such transactions fetched sizeable cash tranches to the mills owners who entered into un-written agreements with potential buyers for more profit as well as to evade taxes.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/285152-inquiry-commission-on-sugar-traces-50-000-un-registered-buyers

 

[Bewal Express]

ISLAMABAD: The Inquiry Commission on Sugar (ICoS) has traced around 50,000 unregistered buyers who have been involved in transactions worth hundreds of billions of rupees, a move that may lead the investigators to trace the actual culprits who, by increasing the price of sugar by Rs23 to Rs27 per kg, extracted over Rs120 billion as extra profit direct from pockets of consumers in past sixteen months.

This development came days after the teams of ICoS traced hundreds of 'suspicious benami transactions' worth Rs362 billion which were linked to out of books sale of over 6 MMT of sugar by the mills owners during past five years.

"We have detected 50, 000 unregistered buyers. Out of those, around 40,000 have not filed their tax returns. We suspect that the millers evaded taxes worth billions of rupees through such practice," revealed a senior official who is a part of nine teams conducting forensic audit (on behalf of the ICOS) of six sugar producing companies.

"We are evaluating some exclusive data received from servers of nine sugar mills which have allegedly been involved in purchasing out of the books cane from farmers through hundreds of brokers and middle men, and subsequently manipulating supply to the market to maximise profiteering," added the official seeking anonymity.

More details emerge about the un-registered buyers
Exclusive details obtained by Geo News from sources associated with ICoS revealed that Hamza Sugar Mills Ltd. sold sugar to 31,000 unregistered buyers. Out of those 31,000 buyers, a staggering number of 28,000 had never filed their returns with tax authorities. The unit which is owned by late Haji Nisar also got subsidy worth nearly Rs213 million from the federal and provincial governments during 2017.

JWD group mills owned by Jahangir Khan Tareen sold sugar to 4,000 non-registered buyers where 86 buyers were not filing their returns with FBR, official documents revealed. Tareen's mills received Rs2.3 billion collectively from the federal and provincial governments during 2017 and 2019 as freight support on sugar exports.

Al-Moiz Sugar Mills sold sugar to 1,700 unregistered buyers where 75 were not registered as tax payers. Shamim Khan — a cousin of Jahangir Tareen — and his son Nauman Khan, also got Rs1 billion as subsidy from the Centre as well as from the government of Punjab in 2017 and 2019 combined.

Exclusive details also revealed that Al-Arabia Sugar Mills owned by Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz and his brother Salman Shahbaz sold sugar to 1,289 non registered buyers out of which 1,200 buyers had never filed their tax returns.

Alliance Sugar Mills, Ghotki, owned by Federal Minister Khusro Bakhtiar's family, sold sugar to 900 unregistered buyers where 75 were not registered with tax authorities.

Hunza I and Hunza 2 Sugar Mills Ltd sold sugar around 1100 unregistered buyers where 117 were non filers. The units got nearly Rs1.6 billion from the federal and Punjab governments in 2017 and more than Rs429 million from Punjab in 2019. Chaudhry Idrees, Chaudhry Muhammad Saeed and Chaudhry Waheed owned those units.

The inquiry commission also identified 3,000 brokers and middle men who controlled monopoly over the domestic sugar market and helped millers to earned extra profit which was directly extracted from consumer pockets.

"We've got details of 295 brokers from State Bank of Pakistan. Brokers are also focus of our investigations. Majority of them are from Babar Center and Akbari Mandi Lahore and Jurian Bazar Karachi who control complete monopoly over domestic sugar prices," a senior official involved in the exercise of compiling that data told Geo News.

Millers did not pay much direct tax (income tax) during past five years and some even showed business losses and claimed refunds worth Rs7.8 billion, he said, adding that the Commission was contemplating to take more time to investigate tax evasion matter of millers who collectively sold 6.4 MMT sugar out of books and those brokers who in connivance with some of the industrialists evaded taxes, sales taxes in particular.

Investigators claimed that millers and brokers have doggedly sold out of books (Tax evaded sales) sugar worth Rs33 billion during past five years. The breakup included: Some Rs4.9 billion against 1.12 MMT sugar during 2015-16, Rs6.1 billion against 1.55 MMT sugar during 2016-17, Rs5.9 billion against 1.45 MMT sugar during 2017-18, Rs5 billion against 1.15 MMT sugar during 2018-19 and Rs11 billion against 1.1 MMT sugar during 2019-2020.

These sugar mills collectively sold sugar worth Rs905 billion in domestic and international markets by receiving subsidy worth Rs24.9 billion from provincial as well as from federal government during past three years. Millers sold sugar worth Rs709 billion in domestic market while Rs196 billion were earned through export of sugar. During past four years these mills held 38% of total sugar market in the country and received Rs262 billion in 2017-18, Rs335 billion and Rs172 billion by selling sugar in domestic market during 2019-20. Rest of 62% industry is not facing any inquiry or forensic audit, questioned owners of nine mills, now facing commission's wrath.

Interviews with some officials associated with the commission revealed to Geo News that probing teams got details of around three dozen suspicious accounts opened in the names of employees of different sugar mills where transactions of over Rs500 billion were made during past five years. Those were 'benami' transactions and the officials claim that thousands of suspicious transactions could further come to light during the coming days. Apparently such transactions fetched sizeable cash tranches to the mills owners who entered into un-written agreements with potential buyers for more profit as well as to evade taxes.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/285152-inquiry-commission-on-sugar-traces-50-000-un-registered-buyers

This is getting interesting. I dont trust any report from Geo but even if it is in the ball park, let the fun and games begin.

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Tuesday gave three weeks more time to Sugar Forensic Commission (SFC) to compile its detailed forensic report on the sugar and wheat scandal, ARY News reported citing sources.

The approval was given in a federal cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, here in Islamabad.

The commission tasked with the forensic examination of the wheat, sugar inquiry report had sought three weeks’ time for submission of the thorough report.

Moreover, the federal cabinet also approved the Rs75 billion package for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and unemployed laborers.

Under the approved ‘Chota Karobar Imdadi Package’ package, the federal government will pay the electricity bills for small businesses for the months of May, June and July.

The cabinet also approved the financial package for journalists infected with the novel coronavirus. The prime minister has tasked Information Minister Shibli Faraz and Special Assistant for Information Asim Saleem Bajwa to prepare a strategy for distribution of aid.

The cabinet meeting reviewed the measures in controlling the spread of coronavirus in the country. The meeting also endorsed the decisions taken by the National Coordination Committee (NCC).

https://arynews.tv/en/sugar-crisis-forensic-report-cabinet-inquiry/

 

[MenInG]

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Zulfi Bukhari has dismissed reports of soured ties between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Jahangir Tareen, clarifying that the premier has very deep-rooted ties with the former PTI secretary general.

Bukhari, in an interview with the BBC, shared that he feels that Tareen will never rebel against the party, whatever the outcome of the sugar and wheat inquiry commission may be.

“There is no doubt that both in government and even before that, Jahangir Tareen has done a lot for the PTI,” Bukhari said.

He added that Tareen had in 2018 brought many people into the PTI to propel the party to power after the general elections.

“But those people joined the party because of Imran Khan not for Jahangir Tareen or Zulfi Bukhari,” the SAPM added.

He said that at the time, PM Imran had trusted Tareen with that role because he was close to him.

Also read: Key takeaways from the probe into sugar and wheat shortages

However, Bukhari told the BBC that the role of bringing lawmakers into the party could have gone to anyone else as well, clarifying that it was not true that the PM was "dependent" on Tareen.

Bukhari, while dismissing the reports of Tareen working against PM Imran, said that the he was a senior party member and an important leader. He added that he had a very close connection with PM Imran and an old relationship with him.

“There is no animosity between PM Imran Khan and Jahangir Tareen,” the SAPM told the BBC. He added that right now only the preliminary inquiry report has come forward and the details of the case are yet to be brought forward.

“PM Imran will not form any incorrect opinion against Jahangir Tareen till all the facts come forward,” said Bukhari. He also refuted reports of differences between the cabinet and asked the media to report responsibly.

This is not the first time that a cabinet member has dismissed reports of a rift between sugar baron Jahangir Tareen and Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Last month, Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad had similarly dismissed such reports.

The alleged 'falling out' had followed a report by the Federal Investigation Agency released in April, which claimed that top PTI members were among those who gained from the recent sugar crisis in the country. The investigation had been ordered by Prime Minister Imran Khan in February.

Among the people named in the FIA report were Jahangir Tareen and a brother of the Minister for National Food Security, Khusro Bakhtiar.

Tareen was said by the report to have benefitted the most from the sugar crisis, followed by Bakhtiar's brother.

The report also claimed that companies belonging to Moonis Elahi — an ally of the party — profited from the sugar crisis. Elahi is Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi's son and a key member of the PML-Q.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has vowed that he would take action against those responsible for the sugar and wheat price hike after he sees the detailed forensic report of the preliminary findings.

The forensic report was expected to come out on April 25 but has been delayed.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/286336-zu...ies-between-pm-imran-khan-and-jahangir-tareen

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will appear on Saturday (today) before the commission of inquiry investigating the recent shortage and price hike of sugar in the country.

Mr Abbasi told Dawn on Friday he would inform the commission how sugar scandals develop, in the light of his experience as a former chief executive of the country.

He said he had written a letter to the commission, offering his services to it by sharing his experiences in probing scams. “I wrote the letter to the commission, as under the Commission of Inquiry Act any citizen can assist such commissions in investigating such scams,” he said.

Upon receiving the letter, Mr Abbasi said, the commission asked him to provide a written statement, or any other document, that would help in investigating the scandal. “I told the commission that I will not give any written statement or document, but will assist it on the basis of my experience, I being a former member of the Economic Coordination Committee (of the cabinet) and former head of the federal cabinet,” he said.

Mr Abbasi, who served as the prime minister in the last PML-N government, said he would explain to the commission how the sugar crisis occurred.

When asked to share some of the reasons behind the crisis, the former premier said allowing export of the commodity was one of the main reasons. “The commission has to ascertain who gave the approval for export of sugar when its local demand had not been taken care of.”

He said he would request the commission to keep his meeting with its members open to all. Another PML-N leader and former defence minister Khurram Dastagir Khan would be accompanying Mr Abbasi to the meeting.

The commission is investigating the recent shortage of sugar and wheat in the country, in which some key members and allies of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf were allegedly involved.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1555704/ex-pm-abbasi-to-brief-sugar-probe-body-today

 

[MenInG]

Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Monday responded to PML-N’s earlier allegations on the PTI government regarding the sugar crisis, requesting the commission to summon him instead of the prime minister.

Taking to Twitter, Umar maintained that the cabinet had made the decisions on the recommendations of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), therefore he and not Prime Minister Imran Khan was answerable to the inquiry commission.

The minister said that the former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had demanded the commission to hold an inquiry against PM Imran and the cabinet regarding the sugar crisis, however, in case any doubts persist in the matter, the commission can summon him [Asad Umar] for further inquiry.

Earlier on Friday, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had said that the decisions taken by the Economic Coordination Committee and federal cabinet led to a hike in prices of sugar across the country earlier this year.

The PML-N leader was talking to media outside the Federal Investigation Agency’s headquarters, where he had met wheat and sugar crisis inquiry commission head Wajid Zia to record his statement.

In his media talk, Abbasi had said that he presented all the ‘facts’ before the commission.

Abbasi had said that the prime minister should ask his cabinet regarding the increase in rates of sugar, adding that the green signal to export sugar was given despite no surplus amount of the product in the country.

Abbasi said that for sixteen months the export of sugar continued but the government did not take any notice of it.

He had also said that there should be a tax on imports so it is not possible to import sugar.

“The situation proves that the prime minister is corrupt,” said the senior PML-N leader.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/287417-asad-umar-requests-sugar-inquiry-commission-to-summon-him

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar appeared before the inquiry commission today and recorded his statement about the subsidy given to the sugar mills owners.

The commission, headed by Director-General Federal Investigation Agency Wajid Zia, had summoned the Punjab chief minister to testify on giving subsidy worth Rs3 billion to the millers in haste in 2019 and the wheat crisis.

CM Buzdar informed the panel about the details regarding the subsidy and transfers and posting of officers in the provincial food department.

The commission probing an unusual increase in sugar prices has widened its scope of investigation by summoning almost all the decision-makers who have been involved in approving subsidies and dealing with the export and import of sugar over the past five years.

Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar had appeared before it to explain the decision to export sugar taken by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) headed by him as finance minister in 2018.

Umar had, while responding to former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi's allegations, requested the commission to summon him.

Sources had said CM Buzdar would most likely be questioned about 24 Punjab sugar mills receiving Rs11.8 billion in freight subsidies from the federal and Punjab governments in 2017 and 2019 combined. Nearly Rs9.4 billion was released in 2017 — under the subsidy scheme on exports — by then prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, noted the data prepared by the State Bank of Pakistan for the inquiry commission tasked with probing the recent hike in sugar prices. Of the amount, the Centre and Punjab government gave near equal subsidies to the sugar mills.

Usman Buzdar, according to sources, would be questioned also about issuing nearly Rs2.5bn for 15 of the 24 mills located in Punjab, in 2019.

Those who benefited included the JDW Group which is owned by Jahangir Khan Tareen, a senior PTI leader. Tareen was the principal beneficiary of the total subsidies dispensed, officials said. His mill received Rs2.3 billion during the PML-N tenure of which JDW took home Rs1.8 billion as freight support on sugar exports from the Punjab and federal governments, they added.

Last year, Tareen’s second unit, JK Sugar Mills Pvt Ltd, received Rs5 million from the Punjab chief minister.

Others, such as Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar who belongs to the ruling party, businessman Chaudhry Munir, and PML-Q’s Chaudhry Moonis Elahi received Rs2.8 billion collectively from the federal and Punjab governments as freight support on exports in 2017 and 2019. The RYK Mills Ltd, owned by Khusro Bakhtiar’s family, received nearly Rs889 million in 2017 from the Centre and Punjab and almost Rs89 million in 2019 from the Punjab government.

Two units of the Etihad Sugar Mills Ltd, jointly owned by Khusro Bakhtiar’s family and the Chaudhrys, received nearly Rs370 million from the Punjab and federal governments in 2017 and nearly Rs184 million from the Punjab government in 2019, official data revealed.

On Tuesday, official sources revealed that Umar was asked tough questions by the commission members. He testified on the decision to export sugar, which according to members of the commission, led to a sugar price hike in the country, paving the way for millers to extract billions of rupees from the pocket of the consumers.

Earlier on Friday, former prime minister Abbasi had said that the decisions taken by the ECC and federal cabinet led to a hike in prices of sugar across the country earlier this year.

The PML-N leader was talking to media outside the Federal Investigation Agency’s headquarters, where he had appeared before the wheat and sugar crisis inquiry commission head Wajid Zia to record his statement.

In his media talk, Abbasi had said that he presented all the ‘facts’ before the commission. He had said that the prime minister should ask his cabinet regarding the increase in rates of sugar, adding that the green signal to export sugar was given despite no surplus amount of the product in the country.

Abbasi said that for 16 months the export of sugar continued but the government did not take any notice of it. He had also said that there should be a tax on imports so it is not possible to import sugar. “The situation proves that the prime minister is corrupt,” alleged the senior PML-N leader.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/287722-cm-buzdar-to-appear-before-sugar-inquiry-commission-today

 

[Abdullah719]

Govt goes public with forensic report on sugar probe commission

In a major development, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has made public a forensic report of the Sugar Inquiry Commission which was constituted to probe the irregularities in the sugar industry.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday, PM’s information aide Shibli Faraz and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar shared the details the report.

On the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Wajid Zia was conducting a forensic investigation of the recent sugar crisis that hit the country earlier this year.

Akbar said the report, which will be published online, explicitly says that sugar mills owners pay amount to sugarcane growers even less than the support price and also make cuts in the weight of sugarcane from 15 to 30 per cent.

“The commission traced irregularities in the form of giving advance payments to farmers in the form of cash or commodity, which is akin to unregulated banking,” he added.

Describing the report as unprecedented, the PM’s accountability aide said no government has ever made such commissions in the past.

He said PM Imran has also directed all his advisers and special assistants to declare the details of their assets.

On April 4, the preliminary findings of the commission on the sugar and wheat crises were made public on instructions of the prime minister.

To further expand the findings, the premier had directed the committee on sugar to conduct a forensic analysis of its findings.

The prime minister had constituted two high-powered committees headed by the FIA DG to probe into circumstances that led to the wheat and flour controversy and the reasons behind the increase in sugar prices in the country.

According to the report, PTI former secretary general Jahangir Khan Tareen and a brother of ex-minister for National Food Security Makhdoom Khusro Bukhtiar were the major beneficiaries of the sugar crisis.

As per the findings of the report, the companies owned and controlled by Jahangir Khan Tareen (JDW) exported 17.24% of its total production and availed 22.71% of the total export subsidy amounting to Rs561 million.

The companies owned and controlled by Makhdum Omer Sheryar – a relative of Makhdoom Khusro Bukhtiar – (RYK Group) had exported 31.17% of its total production and availed 18.31% of the total export subsidy amounting to Rs452 million.

The committee also found that the Punjab government was providing the subsidy for export of sugar at a time when the price of the commodity was increasing in the domestic market.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2226367/1-govt-goes-public-forensic-report-sugar-probe-commission/

 

[The Viper]

Jahangir Tareen 'shocked' at false allegations levelled against him in sugar inquiry report

Spoiler

PTI leader Jahangir Tareen said Thursday he was shocked at the false allegations levelled against him in the sugar inquiry report which was released today after approval from Prime Minister Imran Khan.

According to the report: "Audit Team of JDW Sugar Mills found some additional information about 'SATTA' from interviews as well as forensic analysis of brokers of Punjab."

"During his interview with the Team, broker Mr. Aslam stated that during the month of March 2020, he has executed forward trades of around 11,135 trucks amounting to Rs. 10,292,219,000 with the JDW Company and Ittehad Sugar Mills," it read.

While discussing the report's findings in a media briefing, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar identified the mills owned by Shehbaz Sharif’s family, Jahangir Tareen, Khusro Bakhtiar’s brother and Moonis Elahi and revealed that six major sugar mill groups were acting as "cartels".

He said that the company owned by Shehbaz Sharif's family engaged in "double reporting". In 2017-18, the company raked in additional profits of Rs1.3bn and in 2018-19, they earned Rs780 million.

Akbar said sugar mills belonging to Jahangir Tareen's group were found guilty of "double billing" and "over-invoicing" as well as "corporate fraud".

Speaking of Economic Affairs Minister Khusro Bakhtiar, he said that his brother is the one who owns a sugar mill and he does not hold political office. "We cannot ask Khusro Bakhtiar to resign from his post. An inquiry will be initiated against whoever is directly involved."

He said among the mills shortlisted is Alliance Mills which is owned by the RYK Group. Moonis Elahi has 34% ownership of the group.

"[The report] confirms the premier's longheld view that businessmen in politics will put business first," Akbar said.

'Shocked'

Tareen, responding to report and the briefing, said: "I am shocked at the kind of false allegations levelled against me. I have always run a clean business. All Pakistan knows I always pay full price to my growers."

"I DO NOT maintain 2 sets of Books. I pay all my taxes diligently. I will answer every allegation and be vindicated IA," he said.

'Real culprit Imran Khan'
For his part, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif said that the report is "nothing but falsehood" and that the commission did not record the statement of the "real culprit Imran Khan".

Speaking in Geo News' programme "Capital Talk", he said that "PM Imran is behind the scandal".

"My children have been named in the inquiry report but they did not export sugar."

Meanwhile, PML-N's Malik Ahmad Khan said that the federal and Punjab governments did not hold anyone responsible for providing subsidies.

"They had to identify the ones responsible [for giving subsidies] in the report, which they failed to do," he said, adding: "Was action taken against those who gave false reports to the prime minister?"

Khan said that the FBR (Federal Board of Revenue) was looking after matters pertaining the sugar mills and they did "not mention" anything about double records.

"The inquiry commission's main objective was to probe the export of one million tonnes worth of sugar which they did not do," he said.

He claimed that during Shehbaz's government, the price of sugarcane was not reduced nor was the price of sugar allowed to increase.

Moonis Elahi backs inquiry commission

Reacting to the statement, Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) leader Moonis Elahi, in a tweet, said: "As stated earlier I am not involved in the management nor am I on the board of any Sugar Mill."

"I strongly support the recommendation of commission to control satta/speculation including new legislation to help government control sugar price manipulation," he said.

'Commission's goal was to pinpoint opponents'
Talking about Sindh, the provincial government's spokesperson, Murtaza Wahab, said that the report which Akbar presented was based on "false allegations".

"The inquiry commission had to probe the matters pertaining to the years 2019 and 2020," Wahab said, adding: "2017 and 18 were not mentioned in the TORs or maybe they are trying to save some people."

Wahab said that they have reservations if the commission's goal was to "pinpoint political opponents". "Punjab gave subsidy in 2019-20."

The Sindh government spokesperson said that the Centre had "Bilawal Bhutto and Murad Ali Shah" phobia and that the parametre of the inquiry was being broadened so that the actual people responsible "could not be" identified.

"Those who are responsible for this act should be handcuffed but they need to identify them. Centre permitted sugar export not Sindh," said Wahab.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/289073-ja...velled-against-him-in-sugar-in-inquiry-report

 

[Syed1]

Govt goes public with forensic report on sugar probe commission

In a major development, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has made public a forensic report of the Sugar Inquiry Commission which was constituted to probe the irregularities in the sugar industry.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday, PM’s information aide Shibli Faraz and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar shared the details the report.

On the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Wajid Zia was conducting a forensic investigation of the recent sugar crisis that hit the country earlier this year.

Akbar said the report, which will be published online, explicitly says that sugar mills owners pay amount to sugarcane growers even less than the support price and also make cuts in the weight of sugarcane from 15 to 30 per cent.

“The commission traced irregularities in the form of giving advance payments to farmers in the form of cash or commodity, which is akin to unregulated banking,” he added.

Describing the report as unprecedented, the PM’s accountability aide said no government has ever made such commissions in the past.

He said PM Imran has also directed all his advisers and special assistants to declare the details of their assets.

On April 4, the preliminary findings of the commission on the sugar and wheat crises were made public on instructions of the prime minister.

To further expand the findings, the premier had directed the committee on sugar to conduct a forensic analysis of its findings.

The prime minister had constituted two high-powered committees headed by the FIA DG to probe into circumstances that led to the wheat and flour controversy and the reasons behind the increase in sugar prices in the country.

According to the report, PTI former secretary general Jahangir Khan Tareen and a brother of ex-minister for National Food Security Makhdoom Khusro Bukhtiar were the major beneficiaries of the sugar crisis.

As per the findings of the report, the companies owned and controlled by Jahangir Khan Tareen (JDW) exported 17.24% of its total production and availed 22.71% of the total export subsidy amounting to Rs561 million.

The companies owned and controlled by Makhdum Omer Sheryar – a relative of Makhdoom Khusro Bukhtiar – (RYK Group) had exported 31.17% of its total production and availed 18.31% of the total export subsidy amounting to Rs452 million.

The committee also found that the Punjab government was providing the subsidy for export of sugar at a time when the price of the commodity was increasing in the domestic market.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2226367/1-govt-goes-public-forensic-report-sugar-probe-commission/

What a biased news report. I watched the entire press conference and Shehzad Akhbar mentioned about the amount of corruption undertaken by Shahbaz Sharif and sons in their sugar mills, along with Omni group. Heck CM Sindh gave a Rs 9 billion subsidy just for Omni group which is the front company of Asif Zardari. Monis Elahi the son of Pervaiz Elahi also has a sugar mill that is part of the mafia and was investigated as part of the report.

Also in the press conference Akhbar clearly mentioned that Bakhtiar is not involved in this. He even gave up the food security ministry just so it doesn't look like a conflict of interest. His cousin who is finance minister of Punjab excused himself from the cabinet meeting that was discussing sugar and even is on record opposing the Punjab government's decision to give subsidy. Nawaz and Shahbaz aren't even responsible for their own children but Khosro should have known what his relative was doing and Imran Khan should also have known what Khosro's relative and Jahangir Tareen were doing.



No where in this news report is corruption of Shahbaz, Monis and Murad mentioned. Yet they were quick to add Khosro Bakhtiar's connection to his relative. Not sure why we share news reports from such biased and sold media outlets and give them the viewership that they do not deserve.

 

[Abdullah719]

What a biased news report. I watched the entire press conference and Shehzad Akhbar mentioned about the amount of corruption undertaken by Shahbaz Sharif and sons in their sugar mills, along with Omni group. Heck CM Sindh gave a Rs 9 billion subsidy just for Omni group which is the front company of Asif Zardari. Monis Elahi the son of Pervaiz Elahi also has a sugar mill that is part of the mafia and was investigated as part of the report.

Also in the press conference Akhbar clearly mentioned that Bakhtiar is not involved in this. He even gave up the food security ministry just so it doesn't look like a conflict of interest. His cousin who is finance minister of Punjab excused himself from the cabinet meeting that was discussing sugar and even is on record opposing the Punjab government's decision to give subsidy. Nawaz and Shahbaz aren't even responsible for their own children but Khosro should have known what his relative was doing and Imran Khan should also have known what Khosro's relative and Jahangir Tareen were doing.



No where in this news report is corruption of Shahbaz, Monis and Murad mentioned. Yet they were quick to add Khosro Bakhtiar's connection to his relative. Not sure why we share news reports from such biased and sold media outlets and give them the viewership that they do not deserve.

That was the only one I saw at the time. Maybe this one is better:

Certain business community captured sugar market compelling people to suffer, says Akbar

SAPM says Omni Group, Murad Ali Shah, Moonis Elahi, Jahangir Tareen, Salman Shehbaz and others involved in the sugar scam.

The mill owners showed the price of production to be more than the support price which meant that farmers earned less, says Shehzad Akbar.

Sugar mill owners are also involved in accounting fraud: Akbar.

Spoiler

(Karachi) Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Shehzad Akbar said the Sugar Inquiry Commission report has transpired that a certain business community has captured the market compelling people to suffer.

Highlighting details of the inquiry commission report at a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday, he said farmers faced losses at the hands of businessmen and middleman. He added farmers were not given their due share while sugar was sold at higher rates.

Akbar pointed out that in 2017-18, sugar mills determined the cost of production at Rs51 per kilogramme whereas the report gave an estimate of Rs38 per kilogramme. Similarly, he stated in 2018-19, sugar mills gave cost price at Rs52.60 while the report gave an estimate of Rs40. “The sugar mill owners purchased sugarcane at a lower price but showed a higher price in the invoices," he revealed.

He said the findings revealed that certain sugar mills used informal receipts. “It was the farmer who was badly affected because there was no official record." He said, “The mill owners showed the price of production to be more than the support price which meant that farmers earned less."

In addition, he transpired that sugar mill owners carried out informal banking, which is an unregulated procedure and resulting in losses to the farmers. “By this method, mill owners gained a profit of up to 35 percent," the SAPM said.

The special assistant said the sugar mill owners are also involved in accounting fraud. “The report transpired that mill owners are maintaining two account books. There is an under-reporting on sugar procurement of 25 to 30 percent, which is a scandal. Tax is not paid because of this," he said.

He said the report revealed that the Omni Group in Sindh had benefited from the subsidies the Sindh government provided. He added that the report held Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah responsible in the scam.

Besides, he said a mill called Alliance from Rahim Yar Khan, which is partially owned by Pakistan Muslim League Quaid senior leader Moonis Elahi, was audited. It showed that between 2014 to 2018, 11-14 percent systematic cut was done for farmers, which translated to Rs970 million.

He further stated that the mill over-reported the production cost for several years and sold supply to unnamed buyers. The report mentioned violations of the Pakistan Penal Code, he said.

He said JDW sugar mill in which Jahangir Tareen owned 21 percent shares committed double booking, under-reporting and over-invoicing. “The report noted that the mill under-invoiced sales from bagasse and molasses which resulted in 25 percent cost inflation. They also committed corporate fraud whereby money was transferred from their PLC to their private company."

The SAPM revealed that Al Arabiya mill owned by Salman Shahbaz Sharif was also audited and it was found to have committed fraud worth Rs400 million through informal receipts and market manipulation.

Akbar elaborated that sugar mill owners were acting as mafia and six major groups hold 51 percent of the total sugar production. “Whenever a businessman comes into politics, he will always do business even at the expense of the poor. So PM's thinking has been validated," he said.

He added that the report will be available online shortly for anyone to read following the prime minister's orders.

Earlier, the PM constituted Sugar Forensic Commission to find out those behind the sugar shortage and price hike of the commodity in the country.

The sugar inquiry report revealed names of many influential people who allegedly benefitted from the crisis.

https://www.brecorder.com/2020/05/2...makes-sugar-inquiry-commission-report-public/

 

[Bewal Express]

For the 1st time in PK history the criminal mafia nexus between political reps, bureaucrats and big businesses is in the open. IK has brought tabdeeli, let's see if the courts convict the criminals. Well done Kaptaan, we are proud of you.

 

[Syed1]

For the 1st time in PK history the criminal mafia nexus between political reps, bureaucrats and big businesses is in the open. IK has brought tabdeeli, let's see if the courts convict the criminals. Well done Kaptaan, we are proud of you.

Currently a few plans in the works to put a noose round the neck of the sugar mafia.

Since half the parliament is directly or indirectly connected to the sugar business, there is a law where you need a licence to set up a sugar mill and those licences are only issued to large political families. This way there are only 80 odd sugar mills crushing millions of tones of sugarcane and creating a monopoly. Heck people across the political divide are partners in the same sugar mill. Classic case of monopoly, this way whoever is in power the sugar mafia is always in government. Plans in the works to either do away with the licence or give hundreds of licences to break the monopoly.

Sugar is available in the international market at Rs 35-45 while in Pakistan the mafia sells for Rs 65-80. Government is looking into allowing unhindered import, that itself would kill the mafia.

 

[Bewal Express]

Currently a few plans in the works to put a noose round the neck of the sugar mafia.

Since half the parliament is directly or indirectly connected to the sugar business, there is a law where you need a licence to set up a sugar mill and those licences are only issued to large political families. This way there are only 80 odd sugar mills crushing millions of tones of sugarcane and creating a monopoly. Heck people across the political divide are partners in the same sugar mill. Classic case of monopoly, this way whoever is in power the sugar mafia is always in government. Plans in the works to either do away with the licence or give hundreds of licences to break the monopoly.

Sugar is available in the international market at Rs 35-45 while in Pakistan the mafia sells for Rs 65-80. Government is looking into allowing unhindered import, that itself would kill the mafia.

This mafia has to be destroyed, or it will look destroy PK to preserve its monopoly. I like the plan where we go to produce cotton, a product we have a comparative advantage in, rather than produce uneconomic sugar to protect these crooked families. But there is no doubt that round 1 has gone to Kaptaan but these mafias don't play tiddly winks either and they will hit back hard.

 

[Abdullah719]

Opposition terms sugar commission report ‘misleading’

ISLAMABAD: The country’s two major opposition parties — Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — have expressed serious reservations over the Sugar Forensic Commission (SFC) report and termed it “misleading” and an attempt to save the “real culprits”.

Spoiler

In separate statements in response to the SFC report, which was made public by the government after a special meeting of the federal cabinet here on Thursday, the leaders of both the PPP and PML-N expressed their surprise over the exclusion of the names of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh from the report, saying these were the people who had allowed sugar export when there was a shortage in the country.

The report of the SFC, which had been constituted to investigate and assign responsibility for the sugar shortage and price hike of the commodity in the country in recent times, has revealed the names of a number of sugar mills owned by politicians and their relatives, including those belonging to the ruling PTI and its allies, which were responsible for sugar crisis.

The report has also mentioned the names of the sugar mill, partially owned by PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi, and another mill owned by former secretary general of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Jahangir Tareen.

Mr Tareen took to Twitter to respond to the report, saying he was “shocked at the false allegations” levelled against him.

“I do not maintain two sets of books. I pay all my taxes diligently,” he said, adding that he would “answer every allegation and be vindicated”.

Similarly, PML-Q MNA from Gujrat Moonis Elahi, whose party is a part of the ruling coalition headed by the PTI at the Centre and in Punjab, denied that he had any role in the affairs and management of the sugar mill.

Meanwhile, PML-N president and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif said the entire report was an “eyewash and a cover-up job to save the skin of the real culprits of this scandal Prime Minister Imran Khan, his cabinet and Punjab CM Usman Buzdar and his cabinet”.

Talking to a private news channel, Mr Sharif said this scandal was not about who got the subsidy, but the real crime in all this was the “criminal decision” to allow sugar export against the written recommendation of the sugar advisory boards amid shortage of sugar in the country.

The PML-N president said this decision was sole responsibility and prerogative of the prime minister who was the head of the Economic Coordination Committee, even if he asked his finance adviser to chair it on his behalf.

The PML-N president said the prime minister should have appeared before the commission as he was the “prime suspect” in this case.

He claimed that this commission of inquiry and the media fiasco created over its report were a diversion from the real crime and the real criminal.

Another PML-N leader and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in a statement demanded that PM Khan, CM Usman Buzdar and finance adviser Hafeez Shaikh “must be arrested immediately” because they had allegedly made all the decisions to enable the sugar theft.

The Sindh government, headed by the PPP, in its reaction has termed the SFC report “misleading”.

Official spokesman for the Sindh government Murtaza Wahab said the PTI government was setting a new trend in the country “to justify of lies and incompetence through inquiry commissions and investigative boards”.

“The terms of reference of the inquiry commission mandated it to probe affairs of two years 2019-20,” Mr Wahab said while talking to a private news channel.

“The commission was never mandated to probe sugar affairs of 2017-18. The Sindh government last offered subsidies to sugar mills in 2017. Since we were not in the picture of 2019-20, the government moved beyond its mandate and falsely implicated its political opponents,” he said, adding that “it’s called messing up the real issue”.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1558869/opposition-terms-sugar-commission-report-misleading

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">DG FIA Wajid Zia presented the Sugar Inquiry Commission report to PM <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImranKhanPTI</a> in yesterday's Cabinet session. The forensic report depicted how, for decades, a mafia cheated farmers, benefited from negligence of regulators & created conditions to sell sugar on higher prices <a href="https://t.co/ZkSPSdBltF">pic.twitter.com/ZkSPSdBltF</a></p>— Prime Minister's Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/PakPMO/status/1263757386671624194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Bewal Express]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">DG FIA Wajid Zia presented the Sugar Inquiry Commission report to PM <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImranKhanPTI</a> in yesterday's Cabinet session. The forensic report depicted how, for decades, a mafia cheated farmers, benefited from negligence of regulators & created conditions to sell sugar on higher prices <a href="https://t.co/ZkSPSdBltF">pic.twitter.com/ZkSPSdBltF</a></p>— Prime Minister's Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/PakPMO/status/1263757386671624194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

A great start to real accountability of a sitting govt by itself. In the past not only were reports never released, they were never carried as promised. We need prosecutions by anyone other than the corrupt NAB, an organisation that never prosecutes anyone. If it goes to the case will die.

 

[MenInG]

The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association has outrightly rejected the inquiry commission’s report, which was recently made public and explained how the price of sugar was fixed, how exports of the commodity were faked on sales taxes, and how billions of rupees are overcharged by sugar mills owners.

The PSMA said that the commission made similar mistakes as the previous inquiry committee, adding that the same members were part of the commission was well this time.

The PSMA alleged that the commission distorted the facts in its report presented to Prime Minister Imran Khan and the federal government.

The association said that the recommendations by the PSMA were neglected when the inquiry was being conducted.

The PSMA stated that the commission neglected the role of market forces, and did not weigh in the factor of demand and supply in the report.

It further said that the inquiry commission does not have the adequate expertise to assuage the sugar crisis and its accounting.

The commission was also ignorant of the ground realities of the sugar sector, procurement and crushing processes, it opined.

The PSMA alleged that the commission tried its best to report lower price of sugar production, adding that no business can operate as per the production model laid out by the commission.

The PSMA in the past had rejected the report by the Federal Investigation Agency as well.

The SIC report
The Sugar Inquiry Commission's report made some shocking revelations, according to which many sugar mill owners were receiving telegraphic transfers for payments for sugar sold to Afghanistan from the US and Dubai, therefore seemingly whitening money and earning dollars at the same time.

While discussing the report's findings in a recent media briefing, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar identified the mills owned by Shehbaz Sharif’s family, Jahangir Tareen, Khusro Bakhtiar’s brother and Moonis Elahi and revealed that six major sugar mill groups were acting as "cartels".

Related: Jahangir Tareen 'shocked' at false allegations levelled against him in sugar inquiry report

He said that the company owned by Shehbaz Sharif's family engaged in "double reporting". In 2017-18, the company raked in additional profits of Rs1.3bn and in 2018-19, they earned Rs780 million.

Akbar said sugar mills belonging to Jahangir Tareen's group were found guilty of "double billing" and "over-invoicing" as well as "corporate fraud".

Speaking of Economic Affairs Minister Khusro Bakhtiar, he said that his brother is the one who owns a sugar mill and he does not hold political office. "We cannot ask Khusro Bakhtiar to resign from his post. An inquiry will be initiated against whoever is directly involved."

He said among the mills shortlisted is Alliance Mills which is owned by the RYK Group. Moonis Elahi has 34% ownership of the group.

"[The report] confirms the premier's longheld view that businessmen in politics will put business first," Akbar said.

 

[MenInG]

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Wednesday, in reaction to the briefing by the prime minister's aide on accountability, said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government allowed the export of sugar at a time when there was a shortage of sugar in the country.

Addressing the press conference in Rawalpindi on Wednesday, PML-N lawmaker Maryam Aurangzeb said that with the given subsidy, the price of sugar spiked up from Rs80 to Rs90 in the country.

She lashed out at the incumbent government for conducting a "dubious and inept" inquiry in the sugar scandal, maintaining the party's prior stance that the probe is incomplete until and unless Prime Minister Imran Khan appears before the commission and provide an explanation "for the hidden facts".

"Imran Khan is the real culprit in the matter, hence, he should resign from his seat," Aurangzeb said, adding that the premier was "deliberately not made part of the commission and inquiry as part of a scheme to throw dust in the eyes of people".

Also read: PML-N rejects sugar crisis report, terms it an attempt to 'save the real culprits'

"The report by the inquiry commission was made public because Imran Khan has to be saved," she emphasised.

Referring to the PML-N tenure, Aurangzeb claimed that the party had not allowed sugar prices to rise for five consecutive years, asserting that "if anyone can put Pakistan on the path of development, it is only PML-N".

Criticising the incumbent government for carrying out an "incomplete investigation" into the scandal, she said that the exporters made money in two ways "on the orders of the prime minister" and looted the people.

"On the one hand, exporters took advantage of the increase in dollar rate and on the other hand, they took advantage of the increase in sugar price in the country," she said.

"After the report was out, we hoped that Shahzad Akbar would give us the news for Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar's resignation but the real culprits in the case escaped from the back door," she added.

Reiterating that the incumbent prime minister should appear before the commission, the PML-N spokesperson said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif also appeared before Joint Investigation Team (JIT) during his time as the prime minister.

"The government does not want to deal with either the coronavirus or the sinking economy of the country," Aurangzeb said, adding that it "just wants to put PML-N leaders behind bars without legitimate reasons".

The PML-N spokesperson went on to raise questions about the commission's process of inquiry. She asked: "Why did the commission not call Khusro Bakhtiar and his brother in the mill case?"

Also read: Delay in sugar inquiry report 'admission of guilt' by PM: Shehbaz Sharif

Calling for dispensation of justice and adequate inquiry into the sugar case, Aurangzeb said that the decision makers are "intimidated by National Accountability Bureau (NAB)".

Meanwhile, PML-N leader Rana Mashood said that even Supreme Court raised questions on the inquiry process employed by the asset inquiry unit which was headed by Akbar.

Saying that the present government has done nothing to uplift the country's sinking economy, Mashood demanded that those who have harmed the national exchequer by giving subsidies without inquiry should be handcuffed immediately.

"Imran Khan has not yet been summoned for approving the subsidy," he said, adding, that the working of the sugar commission is dubious, and "mud-slinging at the expense of the Sharif family was done deliberately" to divert attention from the real issues faced by Pakistan.

 

[MenInG]

Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan on Friday said PTI leader Jahangir Tareen should be punished if found responsible for having a hand in the sugar crisis that sent prices skyrocketing in the country amid a shortage of the commodity..

Shahzad Akbar, the premier's aide on accountability, while declaring the findings of the sugar crisis inquiry public, on May 21, had said that the report "confirms the premier's longheld view that businessmen in politics will put business first".

Speaking in Geo News' programme Jirga, Sarwar said: "If Jahangir Tareen and Khusro [Bakhtiar] are guilty then action should be taken against them."

"The commission should not do selective accountability; there are 83 sugar mills [...] All of them are responsible for the shortfall that occurred — may it be Tareen or Bakhtiar," he expressed.

When asked whether only Tareen would leave the party or someone else would leave along with him, he said: "There are a lot of procedures that will take place now, responsibilities will be given. He [Tareen] has remedies, he has courts to go to."

Sarwar said that the premier keeps kinship aside while taking decisions as he is working for a "greater cause".

“If a person from his family is doing something wrong then he will boycott his family."

PPP demands PM Imran be held accountable

Earlier in the week, the PPP had demanded PM Imran and the federal cabinet be held accountable for approving the export of sugar and freight subsidy of Rs2bn.

Advisor to the Chief Minister on Law Syed Murtaza Wahab and Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah held a press conference to answer corruption allegations by SAPM Akbar.

"There are various problems with the TORs of the commission," he said. "The name of the chief minister who was to be summoned has not been included. The prime minister who approved sugar subsidies, his name has also not been mentioned," said Shah.

Referring to PTI leaders Khusro Bakhtiar and Jahangir Tareen being the "talk of the town" these days, the information minister said that their sugar mills received the lion's share of the subsidies.

"More than 84% of the sugar subsidy was given [by Sindh government] to sugar mills of Jahangir Tareen and Khusro Bakhtiar and other people," he underlined. "This subsidy was given because sugar mills had sugar in ample quantities hence they did not want to start the crushing season," said Shah, adding that subsidies were given to the sugar mills to encourage them to export their excess sugar and buy the commodity from local farmers.

"This subsidy is given and other benefits when the demand for sugar is low in the international market," he noted. Shah lashed out at the government, wondering why the price of sugar had soared to Rs80 per kilogramme during the PTI government's tenure.

Wahab and Shah were responding to a hard-hitting press conference by Shahzad Akbar from Wednesday in which, looping in the government of Sindh, he had said that the provincial government gave the most benefit to Omni Group through subsidies, which had been opposed by the provincial cabinet.

"The chief minister of Punjab appeared in front of the sugar inquiry commission but the chief minister of Sindh did not," he had said. "The [PTI] government will take homogeneous action against our party and others named in the report."

Taunting political opponents, the special assistant had said the report from the sugar probing commission was presented in the federal cabinet, which decided to make it public. The investors profited from fluctuations in sugar prices while the common people and farmers bore the brunt, he added.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/290495-im...amed-in-sugar-commission-report-ghulam-sarwar

 

[MenInG]

MULTAN: The government is not reluctant to take action against those involved in the sugar scandal as it is the first dispensation which has made an inquiry report on the matter public, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Sunday.

“The prime minister has stated that those responsible for the crisis will be held accountable,” Mr Qureshi said while speaking to journalists after visiting Saint Mary’s Church.

The foreign minister said those who had paid low prices to farmers for sugarcane and sold sugar at high prices would not be spared. The Federal Investigation Agency and the Federal Board of Revenue would take action against wrongdoers without discrimination, he added.

He said all non-Muslim groups would get representation in the National Commission for Minorities. By appointing well-known businessman Chela Ram Kewlani as chairman of the commission, Pakistan had sent a message to the world that the minorities and their places of worship were safe and they enjoyed all rights and freedom, the foreign minister observed.

Qureshi says provinces’ cooperation needed to bring back Pakistanis stranded abroad

“India, on the other hand, demolished the Babri Mosque and exposed its fanaticism before the world. The Indian Supreme Court acted like a helpless spectator while the demolition was being carried out. It is a matter of pride for Pakistani Muslims that churches in Pakistan are functioning and we are protecting them,” he said.

“We are grateful to the minorities, especially the Hindu community, for opting to live in Pakistan. The PTI government has opened the Kartarpur border crossing to convey a message of harmony to the Sikh community.”

Mr Qureshi pointed out that today even Bangladesh and Nepal were raising their voice against India. “China offered to hold negotiations with India to resolve the boundary dispute, but the latter rejected the offer.”

The foreign minister said the minorities were not safe in India. “India is targeting its minorities, particularly Muslims, through the Citizenship Act. The mentality of RSS stands exposed before the world. Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid is locked and places of worship for Muslims in India are not safe either,” he added.

“We highlighted the plight of Indian Muslims at the summit for human rights and democracy in Geneva and wrote a letter to the United Nations as well.

“Calls should be made at international forums for an end to discrimination against Indian Muslims as the country’s constitution safeguards the rights of minorities. My request to the Indian government is that it should follow its constitution just as Pakistan is doing,” the foreign minister said.

About the coronavirus crisis, he said the government wanted to create a consensus, but the opposition kept embarrassing it instead of giving any suggestion.

“I will request the opposition to come up with suggestions regarding handling of the epidemic in parliament and the prime minister will study their ideas.”

He said the Centre needed the provinces’ cooperation to bring back the Pakistanis stranded in various countries.

Mr Qureshi said since the country’s economy had been badly affected by Covid-19, the nation should brace itself for tough times ahead. “The budget will reflect the setbacks wrought by the pandemic, but we are making efforts to give relief to the low- and middle-income groups.

“The prime minister has already invited applications at his portal from the people who have lost their jobs. The government has distributed billions of rupees among the poor through the Ehsaas Programme,” he said.

About the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Mr Qureshi said both countries were determined to complete the project regardless of India’s or any other power’s disapproval.

He said the credit to make Pakistan a nuclear power did not go to any single person since it was a team effort. “I would like to pay my homage to Pakistani scientists, the army and all those who played their role.

“Zulfikar Ali Bhutto took a decision to make Pakistan a nuclear power in my uncle’s house in Multan,” the minister said.

Later in the day, Shah Mehmood Qureshi met a delegation of the Marriage Halls Association and assured them that he would raise their plea for permission to resume business with the authorities concerned.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1560445/govt-not-shy-of-taking-action-against-sugar-mafia-minister

 

[Abdullah719]

PM aims to utilise sugar report to rectify system flaws

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday informed the federal cabinet that the main purpose behind conducting the sugar inquiry was to bring to the fore the reasons and facts that led to the rise in sugar prices which unnecessarily burdened the people.

Premier Imran, while chairing the meeting of the federal cabinet, discussed the future course of action by the agencies concerned in line with the recommendations of the sugar inquiry report and said that steps would be taken to “rectify the flaws in the system in light of all the facts revealed by the inquiry”.

Spoiler

Subsequently, the cabinet decided that an inter-ministerial committee would be constituted to review the facts in the report from various angles and suggest comprehensive reforms to make the existing system, including the role of regulators, more effective.

“These measures are aimed at ensuring that the people are protected from the burden of exploitation and unnecessary price hikes in the future,” the premier said.

On May 21, the federal government had shared the details of the FIA-led sugar crisis inquiry commission’s forensic report — a damning document that outlines a series of misdeeds by sugar mill owners. The alleged fraudulent activities include fudging the production cost to claim subsidies, manipulating the market, underreporting their sales, committing fraud and exploiting farmers.

The sugar barons raked in a “windfall profit” of Rs100 billion during the sugar crisis this year alone.

The stakeholders of the mills involved in wrongdoing include PTI leader Jahangir Tareen, PML-Q’s Moonis Elahi, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif’s son Salman Shehbaz, Federal Minister Khusro Bakhtiar’s relative Omar Shehryar and the Omni Group.

Meanwhile, the cabinet was given a detailed briefing on the progress made so far by the provinces regarding wheat procurement and future supply and demand estimates.

In order to ensure that there is no shortage of wheat and flour and there is a balance in supply and demand, the cabinet decided to constitute a high-level committee, which will give recommendations in this regard.

Further, the prime minister expressed condolences to the families of the people martyred in the PIA passenger plane crash in Karachi, saying that loss of human life is irreparable and “we share the grief of the bereaved families in this hour of need and stand by them”.

The cabinet was also briefed in detail on the coronavirus situation in the country and strategies to control it from spreading. The meeting called for full implementation of standard operating procedures in public transport, markets and industries to avoid contracting the virus.

The cabinet members appreciated the testing, tracking, and quarantine (TTQ) strategy for people diagnosed with coronavirus and reviewed the resource management system to improve health facilities in the country and ensure the best and efficient use of available resources.

Also, the cabinet was given a detailed briefing on the situation of locusts in the country, measures for prevention and short- and long-term strategies.

The cabinet appreciated the performance of the NDMA, Pakistan Army as well as the cooperation of the government of China, DFID and FAO to prevent locusts’ invasion.

The prime minister said, “Out-of-the-box solution, including provision of incentives to the people at local level, should be considered to counter locusts’ attack.”

Meanwhile, the premier directed the home secretary to submit the recommendations of the Anti-Trafficking Task Force as soon as possible so that further action could be taken to curb smuggling.

The cabinet approved the export of locally manufactured personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitisers, etc for protection from coronavirus. A committee – comprising the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Industries and Production and the Ministry of Science and Technology – has been empowered to take decisions regarding banning export of any particular item that is of national importance.

The cabinet also endorsed the decisions taken at the May 20 and 21 meetings of the Economic Coordination Committee. These decisions include incentives for special economic zones, policy on making smart phones in the country, Prime Minister’s Covid-19 Relief Fund, petroleum levy on LPG, issuance of Sukuk bonds worth Rs2 billion.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2234146/1-pm-aims-utilise-sugar-report-rectify-system-flaws/

 

[MenInG]

LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has questioned the ‘quiet’ departure of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) senior leader Jehangir Khan Tareen for London despite being a prime suspect in the sugar scam.

“Where is the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) which was to become Tarzan after Eid [according to Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid] while Jehangir Tareen left for London along with his son?” asked PML-N Punjab’s Information Secretary Azma Bokhari at a presser here on Saturday.

Accompanied by Attaullah Tarar, Ms Bokhari said: “The Tarzan has a different standard of accountability for Prime Minister Imran Khan, Jehangir Tareen and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif. NAB is not ready to investigate the misuse of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government helicopter by Imran Khan and the role of Tareen and federal minister Khusro Bakhtiar in the sugar scam as prime suspects.”

She said that even Tareen had accused his party’s government of raising taxes that caused an increase in the sugar price. PM Khan gave Rs2 billion subsidy on sugar and despite that it was being sold at Rs85 per kilo, she stated. The Sharif family’s sugar mills had not received any subsidy, nor exported sugar but Imran Khan and the country’s entire politics revolved around the Sharif family.

Chiding PM’s adviser Shahzad Akbar for targeting the Sharif family, the MPA said he was hiding these days to avoid filing of a reply to certain questions in a court case.

Mr Tarar asked PM Khan to submit his reply in the defamation case filed by Shahbaz Sharif against him. “(Mr) Khan has been avoiding speaking the truth in court,” he said and added that two officers of Punjab police had been removed from their posts for not arresting Mr Sharif.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has convened a meeting on Sunday (today) to review the sugar commission report.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1561851/pml-n-questions-nab-role-after-tareens-london-departure

 

[Abdullah719]

PML-N questioning someone's departure for London?

 

[Abdullah719]

Rs29bn sugar subsidy matter being sent to NAB for criminal investigation: Shehzad Akbar

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Accountability Shehzad Akbar on Sunday said the government had decided to send the Rs 29 billion sugar subsidy matter to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for criminal investigation.

Addressing a news conference along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz, the SAPM said the prime minister had approved his recommendation under which a reference covering last five-year subsidies and previous subsidies of 20-25 years would be sent to the NAB.

He said the government wanted to hold a thorough and transparent investigation so that all those who had violated rules and regulations, and received illegal benefits and caused damage to the national kitty could be brought to book no matter how powerful or influential they were.

https://www.brecorder.com/news/1002...-nab-for-criminal-investigation-shehzad-akbar

 

[Bewal Express]

PML-N questioning someone's departure for London?

JT will be back but then obviously they will want NS back as unlike JT he is a convict.

 

[Bewal Express]

Rs29bn sugar subsidy matter being sent to NAB for criminal investigation: Shehzad Akbar

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Accountability Shehzad Akbar on Sunday said the government had decided to send the Rs 29 billion sugar subsidy matter to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for criminal investigation.

Addressing a news conference along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz, the SAPM said the prime minister had approved his recommendation under which a reference covering last five-year subsidies and previous subsidies of 20-25 years would be sent to the NAB.

He said the government wanted to hold a thorough and transparent investigation so that all those who had violated rules and regulations, and received illegal benefits and caused damage to the national kitty could be brought to book no matter how powerful or influential they were.

https://www.brecorder.com/news/1002...-nab-for-criminal-investigation-shehzad-akbar

NAB is corrupt and will kick the cases into the long grass, the FBR and FIA should have taken on the cases themselves for tax evasion and money laundering.

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered an inquiry into the sugar scam and reaffirmed that anyone involved in it would not be spared.

He issued these directives while chairing a meeting of the federal cabinet on Tuesday.

The prime minister issued directives for bringing down the prices of sugar.

The meeting approved recent decisions of the Eco*nomic Coordination Commi*ttee, including layoff of over 9,000 employees of the Pakistan Steel Mills.

On Sunday, the prime minister had approved a massive investigation thro*ugh accountability organisations against the ‘sugar cartel’ allegedly involved in a multi-billion rupee scam for the past 25 years.

The National Accounta*bility Bureau (NAB), Fed*eral Investigation Agency (FIA), Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) will investigate allegations like creating artificial shortage, profiteering, tax evasion and receiving undue export subsidies against sugar barons.

According to a press release, the cabinet app*roved investigation against the sugar industry as the prime minister stuck to his position that action should be taken against everyone involved in the scam irrespective of their status and political affiliation.

But in a veiled reference to the departure abroad of ruling party’s stalwart Jahangir Tareen, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz blamed the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government for helping the ‘ATM’ flee the country even though he was a prime suspect in the sugar scam.

The meeting was infor*med that action against 88 sugar mill owners was exp*ected in the light of recommendations made in the recent Sugar Forensic Com*m*ission (SFC) report that exposed several bigwigs in the scam, including Jahan*gir Tareen, a brother of federal minister Khusro Bakh*tiar, and sons of Shahbaz Sharif, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly.

Subsidies given by the federal or provincial governments, including the PTI government in Punjab, will be investigated.

The meeting was apprised that political families entered the sugar business during the 1990s and since then they had crushed everyone else in the industry.

The PM was informed that NAB would investigate the Rs29 billion given in subsidies to sugar mills on export during the last five years.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is likely to probe charges of fraud in sales tax, the practice by mill owners to understate their incomes and to carry out benami transactions. The FBR was directed to ensure that adjudication on cases and recoveries start within 90 days.

The cabinet also approved investigation of cartelisation by the CCP after reports emerged that sugar mills were minting money through price manipulation. A new team was constituted for the task and told to submit its report within 90 days.

The SBP will investigate the companies that showed fake exports and were involved in default on loans or sold pledged stocks. The SBP will submit a report to the finance ministry within 90 days and mention companies and their frauds by name, besides imposing heavy fines on violators.

Similarly, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) will investigate corporate fraud, stock fraud, shareholder fraud and other types of corporate fraud.

The FIA will investigate the matter of fake exports to Afghanistan and money laundering.

The prime minister expressed his desire to overhaul the regulatory framework.

Under the PM’s directives, a committee will be formed to determine the cost of production and the price of sugar. The committee will be headed by Industries Minister Hammad Azhar.

The cabinet approved a recent decision of the ECC regarding laying off of PSM employees. “The prime minister was of the view that the burden of sick state entities should not be put on people’s shoulders,” said a press release.

 

[Slim]

So what happened to this? Out of the loop. [MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION] [MENTION=1269]Bewal Express[/MENTION]

 

[Bewal Express]

So what happened to this? Out of the loop. [MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION] [MENTION=1269]Bewal Express[/MENTION]

Some cases have been referred to NAB(which is a waste of time as nothing happens there but Nooras would have complained if they hadn't), but more importantly each of the state organs have been given 90 days to file references so the FIA will deal with money laundering, FBR with tax evasion etc. For those hoping that it will fade away like the scandals seem to panicking. JT met NS in London last week.

 

[Slim]

Some cases have been referred to NAB(which is a waste of time as nothing happens there but Nooras would have complained if they hadn't), but more importantly each of the state organs have been given 90 days to file references so the FIA will deal with money laundering, FBR with tax evasion etc. For those hoping that it will fade away like the scandals seem to panicking. JT met NS in London last week.

JT met NS? Hahaha pathetic. Absolute losers these people are. Mafia meeting Mafia.

 

[Syed1]

Some cases have been referred to NAB(which is a waste of time as nothing happens there but Nooras would have complained if they hadn't), but more importantly each of the state organs have been given 90 days to file references so the FIA will deal with money laundering, FBR with tax evasion etc. For those hoping that it will fade away like the scandals seem to panicking. JT met NS in London last week.

Where did you hear this? This is indeed sad. Proper aasteen ka saanp this JT guy, I hope the entire might of the law falls on him. Instead what is more likely that NAB and our "honourable" SC will side with him.

 

[Bewal Express]

JT met NS? Hahaha pathetic. Absolute losers these people are. Mafia meeting Mafia.

That's the rumour being spread by Nooras. JT def in London so make of it what you will. IK needs to beef up the FIA and FBR prosecution sections, the Nooras and PPP had turned them into eunachs and NAB needs to be sidelined. It is a part of the mafia. They take cases and do nothing. BTW have you seen seen the SS confession about his family yesterday.

 

[Bewal Express]

Where did you hear this? This is indeed sad. Proper aasteen ka saanp this JT guy, I hope the entire might of the law falls on him. Instead what is more likely that NAB and our "honourable" SC will side with him.

I should have said rumoured to have met. Off course it may not be true but JT is not happy. I wouldnt be surprised but it could also be rubbish.

 

[Bewal Express]

Where did you hear this? This is indeed sad. Proper aasteen ka saanp this JT guy, I hope the entire might of the law falls on him. Instead what is more likely that NAB and our "honourable" SC will side with him.

If its not true, and I hoping its not true, then i owe him an apology.

 

[MenInG]

Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah on Thursday barred the government from acting on the recommendations of the investigation report of the Sugar Inquiry Commission, which blamed industry barons for misuse of public money and cartelisation leading to massive price hike of the commodity in the country.

The court issued the stay order for 10 days — when the next hearing is fixed — after representatives of the sugar industry agreed to sell the commodity at Rs70 per kilogramme during this time.

Justice Minallah gave these orders while hearing an appeal filed by the entire sugar industry, including family members of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Jahangir Khan Tareen, opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif and federal minister Khurso Bakhtiar, against the inquiry commission.

The petitioners claimed that the probe report “exceeds the constitutional mandate and limitations of a Federal Commission of Inquiry constituted under the 2017 Act, as it trespasses into matters within the exclusive legislative and executive domains of provinces”.

During the hearing, the legal representative of the sugar industry, Makhdoom Ali Khan, told the court that in its 324-page report, the inquiry commission has stated that even though sugar was available in large amounts, a situation was created to suggest that there would be a shortage. He also raised questions over the use of executive authority.

The chief justice inquired about the commission's findings regarding the price hike to which the Khan responded: "The commission mentioned a lot of reasons in its 324-page report."

The lawyer added that the commission had recommended that the Federal Board of Revenue, Federal Investigation Agency and National Accountability Bureau should take action against those implicated.

IHC chief justice asked mill owners how much of their produce is sold to the public.

"It's a simple thing [...] 30 per cent of the sugar should be sold to the public.

"Sugar is a need of a layman [and] the government should also take steps in this regard," Justice Minallah remarked, adding: "Commission did not give any finding regarding the convenience of the layman. The purpose for which the commission was formed was not addressed."

The judge further said: "This court does not usually interfere in the matters of the executive but sugar is a requirement of a labourer. They (government) are giving subsidies on Coca Cola, why aren't they providing basic rights to the public?"

In response to a question, the industry's lawyer informed the court that in November 2018, sugar price was Rs53 per kg, to which the chief justice remarked it had increased to Rs85 in a span of just two years. The counsel did not comment on this.

Justice Minallah said the court will issue a stay order if mill owners agree to sell the commodity at Rs70 per kg until the next hearing, to which their counsel agreed. The judge also asked Additional Attorney General Tariq Khokhar if the Centre would oppose the court's option, to which Khokhar responded in the negative.

The court issued notices to all respondents named in the petition, including the federal government, and directed the registrar office to fix the hearing of the case after 10 days.

Sugar probe report
Last month, the government had made public an inquiry report submitted by sugar inquiry commission, which blamed key political figures and government functionaries for wrongdoings within the industry. Among those implicated by the commission are PTI leader Jahangir Tareen and PML-Q MNA Moonis Elahi.

The commission was critical of the role of Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Industries Razak Daw*ood and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on the issue of sugar export subsidy as they failed to satisfy the commission.

These three key government functionaries and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had appeared before the commission and recorded their statements on the issue of grant of sugar subsidy.

The commission, which was formed to probe the recent sugar crisis in the country, observed that during 2017-18, Rs10.7 per kg subsidy was granted by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet only for export of two million tonnes of sugar (Sindh was granted an additional subsidy of more than Rs4bn). A decrease of Re1 per kg of subsidy meant saving of more than Rs2bn.

Even if observations of the Finance Division were to be ignored and only adjustments of Rs5.10 per kg considered, this would have saved more than Rs10bn. The major export subsidy was availed after January 2018. Therefore, timely intervention could have saved billions of rupees for the national exchequer.

According to the report, Pakistan exported more than four million tonnes of sugar over the past five years and more than Rs29 billion had been given to sugar mills in terms of export subsidy.

“Exporting sugar with subsidy means that we are exporting on international rates which are lower than the cost of production claimed by sugar mills and the differential cost is being paid from the taxpayers’ hard-earned money,” the report said.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1562808/i...rt-demands-response-over-mill-owners-petition

 

[uberkoen]

Bitches of the riches indeed!


Shameful that this happens under the leadership of a party that was formed on the basis of “justice for all”

 

[Syed1]

Bitches of the riches indeed!


Shameful that this happens under the leadership of a party that was formed on the basis of “justice for all”

You got the first line right, but for your paymasters


Maybe if you read the report without the Noora glasses you would notice that 26b subsidy was given by the previous government while in the tenure of this government the federal govt gave zero and Punjab govt gave 3b.



Always better to first educate yourself of all the facts.

 

[uberkoen]

You got the first line right, but for your paymasters


Maybe if you read the report without the Noora glasses you would notice that 26b subsidy was given by the previous government while in the tenure of this government the federal govt gave zero and Punjab govt gave 3b.



Always better to first educate yourself of all the facts.

Brilliant so now hoarding sugar and pretending to export and then re-import is being blamed on subsidiaries. Nice one.

 

[Syed1]

Brilliant so now hoarding sugar and pretending to export and then re-import is being blamed on subsidiaries. Nice one.

Sugar prices had also sky rocketed in your mian sahab's tenure as well, did any inquiry get done? No because the Sharif family are themselves are in the sugar business and are directly involved in hoarding and pretending to export. Now run patwari.

 

[uberkoen]

Sugar prices had also sky rocketed in your mian sahab's tenure as well, did any inquiry get done? No because the Sharif family are themselves are in the sugar business and are directly involved in hoarding and pretending to export. Now run patwari.

What you're telling me is that it happened before and it's happened again so then what you're saying is that there is no difference in PML-N and PTI

 

[Syed1]

What you're telling me is that it happened before and it's happened again so then what you're saying is that there is no difference in PML-N and PTI

The difference is this time there was an inquiry held and institutions instructed to start taking action before the mafia which is spearheaded by your favorites thieves the Sharifs went to their paid judge and got a stay order. That's the difference. If you still can't see it - change your diet!

 

[uberkoen]

The difference is this time there was an inquiry held and institutions instructed to start taking action before the mafia which is spearheaded by your favorites thieves the Sharifs went to their paid judge and got a stay order. That's the difference. If you still can't see it - change your diet!

Is it not the responsibility of the sitting government to ensure that justice is delivered? In case the judges have been bribed, why isn't the government launching an investigation or taking this matter up more seriously?

Isn't Jehangir Tareen, the main benefactor of PTI, also named in this inquiry? It's possible Imran Khan asked the courts not to pursue the matter further as that would hurt his close friend and would also hurt his party.

 

[Bewal Express]

Is it not the responsibility of the sitting government to ensure that justice is delivered? In case the judges have been bribed, why isn't the government launching an investigation or taking this matter up more seriously?

Isn't Jehangir Tareen, the main benefactor of PTI, also named in this inquiry? It's possible Imran Khan asked the courts not to pursue the matter further as that would hurt his close friend and would also hurt his party.

How can the govt launch an investigation into judges? Have you seen the defence of the SC judges over the Isa case over been asked to give receipts for undeclared properties. JT has complained that he has been targeted by IK and the Noora media have backed him. Its the 1st time in PK history that a report was compiled, released and action has been announced and then IHC stopped it and is trying to impose a price of 70rps for Sugar as some sort of rajnama. The Kaptaan is fighting a battle against a system, and he isn't winning.

 

[Mamoon]

This government is only good for providing comedy.

Sometimes they say wheat mafia is in action but it turns out that they are in the cabinet of Imran Khan.

Then they shout that the sugar mafia is creating havoc but then we found out that they are not only part of the cabinet but were also financiers of Imran’s election campaign.

Then they complained about the tobacco mafia who are evading taxes but they are also in the cabinet.

Furthermore, now the latest is that the oil mafia have led to shortages in petrol pumps, but inshAllah, this mafia will also be found within the cabinet of Imran Khan.

 

[Bewal Express]

This government is only good for providing comedy.

Sometimes they say wheat mafia is in action but it turns out that they are in the cabinet of Imran Khan.

Then they shout that the sugar mafia is creating havoc but then we found out that they are not only part of the cabinet but were also financiers of Imran’s election campaign.

Then they complained about the tobacco mafia who are evading taxes but they are also in the cabinet.

Furthermore, now the latest is that the oil mafia have led to shortages in petrol pumps, but inshAllah, this mafia will also be found within the cabinet of Imran Khan.

The mafia have been in every cabinet for decades and this is the 1st time that a public enquiry has been held, groups and individuals held responsible and action proposed. Your criticism would be valid if IK did what NS had done with the Sugar and Petrol shortages and promise enquiries and not have them. For the 1st time in modern PK politics IK has taken action against people in his party, and guess what the mafia straight away get a stay order from the IHC. And the best of it is that it is a minority govt and your Noora friends have already cosied up to JT.

 

[Abdullah719]

Jahangir Tareen refutes reports of meeting Nawaz Sharif

LAHORE/LONDON: PTI senior leader Jahangir Khan Tareen said Thursday he has neither met PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif nor did he wish to and that the media cell of the former prime minister's party was spreading fake news.

In an audio statement, Tareen — whose relationship with the PTI seems to have fallen apart — said "our struggle has been against them", referring to the PML-N. "I have neither met Nawaz Sharif nor do I wish to [meet him]," he said.

"I am not an opportunistic politician to go to them [Nawaz Sharif and the PML-N] just because I have developed differences with Imran Khan," he said of the premier. "I am a principled politician, I tried my best with the PTI," he added, noting that if there were any problems, it was not his fault. "I am just sitting separately; whatever is acceptable to God will happen."-

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/674751-jahangir-tareen-refutes-reports-of-meeting-nawaz-sharif

 

[Bewal Express]

Jahangir Tareen refutes reports of meeting Nawaz Sharif

LAHORE/LONDON: PTI senior leader Jahangir Khan Tareen said Thursday he has neither met PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif nor did he wish to and that the media cell of the former prime minister's party was spreading fake news.

In an audio statement, Tareen — whose relationship with the PTI seems to have fallen apart — said "our struggle has been against them", referring to the PML-N. "I have neither met Nawaz Sharif nor do I wish to [meet him]," he said.

"I am not an opportunistic politician to go to them [Nawaz Sharif and the PML-N] just because I have developed differences with Imran Khan," he said of the premier. "I am a principled politician, I tried my best with the PTI," he added, noting that if there were any problems, it was not his fault. "I am just sitting separately; whatever is acceptable to God will happen."-

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/674751-jahangir-tareen-refutes-reports-of-meeting-nawaz-sharif

JT and his sugar cartel/mafia friends need to stop hiding behind the corrupt IHC and clear their names legally.

 

[Mamoon]

Every man and his dog knows that JT is a key player in the sugar mafia and a fraud with plenty of black money. He has already been disqualified by the SC for being dishonest and failing to declare his assets.

So when will the sadiq and ameen Imran Khan apologize to the nation for using this crook as a financier of his election campaign?

Imran Khan’s election campaign was financed on haraam money. I haven’t seen a Madinah riyasat like this.