Govt not interested in punishing petrol mafia: Shahbaz

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) President and National Assembly opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif alleged on Saturday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was not interested in punishing the petrol mafia, just like the sugar mafia. In a statement, he expressed disappointment over the inability of the petrol crisis inquiry committee to complete its investigation in time. He said it had once again proved that, like the sugar corruption scandal, the government was not serious or committed to catching and punishing the culprits of the great injustice to the people of Pakistan. He said the results of the investigation had not been produced in the promised 15 days, which was an indication of the government’s ill intentions.

The nation wanted to know who was hoarding patrol when the country was suffering the worst shortage, he said.

"This government is running through mafias and mafias are ruling through this government," Shahbaz alleged. The PML-N president said it was mind-boggling how such a large quantity of petrol was consumed during the lockdown and shortage. This is the real clue which has exposed the truth behind this entire corruption scheme, he said.

According to the government figures, in the month of May, 635,000 tonnes of petrol was consumed while in the month of June, 725,000 tonnes were consumed at a time when there was supposed lockdown and a shortage in the country, he added.

The government had given an open licence to mafias to loot the nation, he said. It is clear for everyone to see no government existed in the country and Pakistan was being run by mafias, he added.