Jahangir Tareen, Moonis Elahi discuss probe into flour, sugar scandals: sources

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Jahangir Tareen and Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) leader Moonis Elahi held a meeting where they exchanged views on ongoing probe into flour and sugar scandals, citing sources, ARY News reported on Thursday.

The meeting between Jahangir Tareen and Moonis Elahi held at the time when the federal government hinted the release of the inquiry commission’s report on sugar crisis next week.

It is pertinent to mention here that the companies owned by Tareen and Elahi had been named in the commission’s investigation report.

Read: Inquiry commission completes interviews of sugar mills’ executives

Earlier on Wednesday, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar had said that the sugar inquiry commission is likely to release its report next week.

Shahzad Akbar, while talking to ARY News programme ‘Power Play’, said that it is expected to witness the probe report of sugar inquiry commission next week. He added that the commission did not seek more time from the federal government to complete investigation.

While making progress, the inquiry commission summoned senior politicians of the government and opposition to record their statements to make the investigation to a conclusive end.

Read: Forensic commission probing wheat, sugar report asks for more evaluation time

PM’s commerce adviser Abdul Razak Dawood also appeared before the investigators earlier in the day. Earlier, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had also recorded their statement. Moreover, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) senior leaders including Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Khurram Dastgir are also among the persons gave appearance.

On the other hand, the chief minister of Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, rejected to appear before the commission.

Read: ‘Heads will roll after final report on wheat, sugar crises’

Probe report

On the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the federal government had made public reports of a high-level inquiry into the sugar and wheat crises on April 4 that had hit the people hard across the country in January.

Under the stewardship of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director general Wajid Zia, two teams had carried out a probe into the crises and furnished their reports to the prime minister upon completion for perusal. The report had been made public after PM Imran Khan went through it.

The report revealed PTI stalwart Jahangir Khan Tareen, a brother of Food Minister Khusro Bakhtiyar, and PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi are among the beneficiaries of the sugar crisis which took a serious toll on the people, especially the poor.