Govt to refer issue of subsidies on sugar crisis to NAB: Shahzad Akbar

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Barrister Shahzad Akbar said on Sunday that the government has decided to refer the issue of subsidy of Rs29 billion given to the sugar industry to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad along with Federal Information Minister Shibli Faraz, the PM’s aide said that the government has decided to refer the issue of subsidies on sugar crisis to the anti-graft watchdog.

Shehzad Akbar said that Prime Minister Imran chaired a high-level meeting today in which he approved recommendations on an action plan against beneficiaries named in the sugar inquiry report.

Giving details of the recommendations, he said seven major actions have been recommended. Shahzad Akbar said the Prime Minister also decided to send a reference to NAB of the subsidies given in the country since 1985.

The government will forward the issue of subsidies given to the sugar industry in the last five years to NAB for investigation, he said and added that a political family received a subsidy in billions of rupees by exporting sugar to Indian during the 1990s.

FBR to complete inquiry in 90 days

Shehzad Akbar said the govt has also decided to refer the case of income and sales tax fraud in sugar mills to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

Matters related to unnamed accounts and transactions, tax evasion and similar issues are being sent to FBR, he said, adding that FBR has been directed to complete inquiry in 90 days.

The Federal Board of Revenue will also conduct an audit of sugar mills, he added.

‘Fake exports’

The accountability advisor said that State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) will look into sugar mills’ loans and fake exports. He further said that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been tasked to probe the export issue of sugar mills.

FIA will also investigate the money-laundering issue in the name of sugar, said Shehzad Akbar.

He said matter of cartelization of the sugar industry is being sent to the Competitive Commission of Pakistan.

‘Extra crushing’

He further said that the incumbent government has decided to forward the issue of extra crushing to the anti-corruption department. “The issue of extra crushing is also a violation of provincial laws,” added Shehzad Akbar.

Speaking on the occasion, Information Minister Senator Shibli Faraz said PTI government is committed to hold the accountability of all those people who have put people, institutions and future of the country at stake.

Our first and foremost priority is to protect the interests of the people, he said.

On May 30, the federal government released the sugar inquiry commission report. Addressing a press conference, Akbar said that the sugar inquiry commission report was released as promised by the premier and it makes some shocking revelations.

The report vindicates what the prime minister has been stating from day one, Shahzad Akbar said.

“It has been the prime minister’s stance that if a businessman joins politics, he will still do business at people’s expense,” he said, adding the people are suffering because certain businessmen have taken the entire industry hostage.

He further entailed that the inquiry commission affixed the responsibility of the corruption on betting agents who have been working in collusion with sugar mills across the country.

In Sindh, Akbar said, the Omni Group benefited from the subsidies provided by the Sindh government.