Jahangir Tareen returns

LONDON: Jahangir Khan Tareen, former PTI secretary-general and once one of the closest confidantes of Prime Minister Imran Khan, left London for Lahore after spending over seven months in UK – following developing differences with PM Khan and then the publication of Sugar Commission report.

Geo News reported on Thursday exclusively that Jahangir Tareen had decided to return to Pakistan. When this correspondent contacted him, Tareen confirmed he will be back in Pakistan “soon” but he didn’t confirm the date.

However, the trusted source had informed Geo and The News that Tareen and his family have booked tickets on Emirates airline via Dubai, landing at Lahore airport on Friday morning. He left from Heathrow on Thursday afternoon with members of his family.

The source shared that Jahangir Tareen has returned to Pakistan after getting assurance about the ongoing issues. Tareen had reached London around seven months ago and since then he remained held up in his Hampshire country home.

The former PTI General Secretary and business magnate left Pakistan after the Sugar Commission report was made public by the government, implicating Tareen. However, Tareen has denied any wrongdoing and has blamed a group around PM Imran Khan for going after him and hounding him. Tareen recently also complained that his family members were also put under surveillance and their calls were traced and movements monitored during the course of investigations by the FIA and another agency.

The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) said in an official inquiry report recently that Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) – the representative body of the sugar barons, is prima facie a “cartel” that manipulated the recent price hike with active coordination of a senior officer of JDW Sugar Mills Group, owned by Jahangir Khan Tareen.

The entity responsible for ensuring fair play in the market concluded a 10-month long inquiry and alleged the PSMA was indulged in illegal activities. The findings also showed that the millers managed a decision to influence the government to allow export of 1.1 million tons of sugar, which also caused a 48% increase in the prices. Jahangir Tareen has denied all allegations.