That some of the top names are allegedly involved in the unravelling sugar scam should be cause for concern for the PTI-led governments both at the centre and in Punjab. Even the name of the chief minister of Punjab has now emerged as one of the persons responsible for the crisis and the resultant price hike in sugar. Coupled with this is an alleged tax fraud amounting to 33 billion rupees through benami (anonymous) accounts. The recently released report of the commission tasked with investigating the matter has raised some serious questions even before the forensic confirmation. Surprisingly, the prime minister has not taken any action against the Punjab chief minister or even against other allied partners, apart from some cabinet reshuffle that has allocated even more lucrative ministries to the accused ministers. The centre of the controversy now are the so-called benami transactions. The authorities have disclosed that the sugar-mill owners defrauded the FBR of taxes amounting to as much as 33 billion rupees. Right now the files of ten sugar mills belonging to six owners are being reviewed.
Though the final report from the Sugar Commission will be ready in two weeks, we are anxiously waiting for some important answers. There are a few personalities whose roles are expected to be clarified in the report. For now, the Punjab chief minister is emerging as a primary figure, as he was the one who awarded undue subsidies. We have seen anonymous accounts and properties but now some anonymous sugar deals have also come to the fore. Investigative reports have revealed that in the names of truck drivers, guards, and personal servants billions of rupees worth of sugar was sold. The inquiry commission has sent nearly 200 CNIC details to the State Bank of Pakistan to trace the accounts in various banks. The government must make it clear and transparent, and disclose where the money came from into these accounts and who was behind these transactions. The objections being raised are not insignificant or trivial, in fact they are becoming a serious blot on the reputation of a government that assumed power with a promise of fair deal and transparency.
Even the prime minister’s close friend Jahangir Tareen has raised concerns and offered his own sugar mill for a forensic audit. But before that, it is imperative that the benchmarks set for such forensic audit are made public so that there is no question of favouritism. Conducting a forensic audit of just 10 sugar mills may not give us a convincing sample to generalize findings and apply them on 80 sugar mills. According to the inquiry committee, it is conducting an audit of only those sugar mills that received the largest amount of subsidies. But in reality, even those mills that didn’t get any subsidy this year are being audited. The entire process must be above-board and must result in some concrete steps against those who violated public trust and breached the decorum of their offices; even if they are ministers, chief ministers, or personal friends of the highest office in the country.