Ali Zaidi says mafia behind flour crisis to be exposed soon

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi said a commission formed to investigate into flour crisis will expose and take strict action against mafia involved in creating the menace across the country, ARY News reported on Monday.

Ali Zaidi, while talking to ARY News programme ‘Power Play’ said Prime Minister Imran Khan decided to hold a thorough inquiry into flour crisis and the mafia will be exposed soon. The minister said he knew well about acquiring data of wheat and sugar from some people. It is possible that wheat was smuggled to Afghanistan which should be stopped, he added.

He said the first rule of governance is accountability and punishment. Zaidi said that the federal cabinet members have made decisions after holding consultations and good recommendations were always appreciated.

When questioned about the statement of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) supremo, Zaidi raised the question that who had guaranteed Maulana Fazlur Rehman regarding the present government.

Read: JUI-F decides to distance itself from PML-N, PPP

He added that the sit-ins organised by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Maulana Fazlur Rehman have no similarities as PTI lodged protests in the federal capital to demand investigation of vote-rigging in four constituencies but not topple the previous government. Zaidi said that the JUI-F launched its campaign to topple the present government.

The minister said he will raise the same question before PM Imran Khan in the next cabinet meeting regarding the guarantor of Maulana Fazl. He slammed JUI-F leaders, saying that they were enraged by facing electoral defeat for the first time.

Read: Ali Zaidi discusses court order on JIT reports with PM Imran Khan

Commenting over the cases against the former finance minister, Zaidi said World Bank had already admitted in 1999 that Ishaq Dar was involved in fixing economic statistics. The minister added that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) had artificially maintained the rupee value and brought no increase in exports.

Answering a question, Zaidi said he thought that tax would have been received from the finance adviser and the governor of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) are they are receiving salaries.