Sugar scandal: Government, opposition politicians trade allegations

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) Friday rejected the inquiry commission’s forensic audit report on the sugar scandal, which it alleged, was manipulated to save those responsible at the top of the hierarchy.

“The PML-N demands registration of cases against Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Asad Umer and Razzaq Daud as main responsible for sugar scam,” said Malik Ahmad Khan, Uzma Bukhari and Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan while addressing a press conference at the PML-N Model Town Secretariat here.

They said the federal cabinet, while implementing the ECC’s decision, allowed sugar export despite low production, which soared domestic prices of the commodity.

“Imran Khan and Usman Buzdar are no holy cows and they must be held answerable for the sugar theft in the country,” they said, adding that the report had been twisted to sacrifice a few cronies, who were no more needed.

They demanded Prime Minister Imran Khan to immediately resign over the sugar scam under his command. They said the report was a clear message for Khusro Bakhtiar not to talk of South Punjab province, while Chaudhries of Gujrat had also been sidelined.

“Jahangir Tareen has also donated Rs4.2 million to Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital,” they said, and added that report clearly suggested involvement of Usman Buzdar, Asad Umer and Razzaq Daud, which will be investigated by NAB in future.

During PML-N’s tenure, they said, the sugar prices remained stable at Rs55/kg, which climbed to Rs85/kg during the tenure of PTI’s “Sadiq and Ameen” government.

Despite bureaucracy’s warning of impending shortage of sugar, the PTI’s government allowed export and created an artificial shortage to oblige some blue-eyed boys in the party. “Neither Sharif family’s sugar mills have availed subsidy nor exported sugar,” they clarified.

Reacting to the press conference of the PML-N leaders, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz Friday alleged that lust for wealth remained the center point of Sharif family’s politics, for which they mercilessly used the institutions. The minister, in a tweet, contended that the politics of Prime Minister Imran Khan revolved around the rights of the poor people.

He emphasized the entire nation knew that the Sharif family was the ringleader of sugar mafia and that they used their politics for business and exploited the masses.