Prime Minister Imran Khan said Wednesday the government would uphold the law without discriminating between the weak and powerful, as he slammed sugar mill owners for hiking up sugar prices.
Responding to a question on Jahangir Tareen's hearings while addressing media persons in Sargodha, the PM said: "I am ready to listen to everyone's reservations, but there is one thing they should understand. Sugar prices increased by Rs26 in a year or so."
An increase of Rs26 per kg in sugar prices translates into Rs120-130 billion, and this huge sum of money went from the citizens' pockets to the sugar mills, PM Imran Khan said.
"It is obvious: the government has to work in the best interests of the people and we've asked the FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) to probe the matter. During the investigation, several horrific things were revealed to us."
The premier said he was ready to speak to those who had reservations against the proceedings, but stressed that the government would uphold the law — the same law that is applicable to everyone.
PM Imran Khan said the "elite and the powerful are the actual menaces behind the country's downfall."
"If you combine the amount of corruption done by all poor people in jails, it will amount to a maximum of Rs2-3 billion."
The premier, speaking on PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif's bail, said if they are unable to convict people against whom evidence was available, the country could not prosper.
The prime minister said banks were reluctant to grant loans to people due to the laws in the country; however, after his government introduced the foreclosure law, banks have started providing loans for house building.
"We are training the banks on how to treat people when they approach them for their service," the prime minister said.
The premier added that through the state's low-cost housing scheme, people will now have to pay less amount of money in instalments for their houses.
"We have also set a ceiling for the interest rates at which banks provide loans — easing the process for the masses."
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