Shahid Khaqan Abbasi awarded Rs20 billion as subsidy on sugar: Akbar

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar on Wednesday said that former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi awarded a subsidy of Rs20 billion out of Rs26 billion on sugar in last five years, ARY News reported.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad, Shahzad Akbar said previously the sugar mafia expanded with the support of corrupt governments, but this time, they are caught red handed in Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government.

Shahzad Akbar said publishing an inquiry report of the sugar scandal is a big step and it will further facilitate the process of accountability in the country. No government dared to take such a step earlier.

For decades, sugar mafia has been robbing the farmers and the people of Pakistan. For the first time, an in-depth inquiry has been done and the report has been made public to assure transparency.

Read more: PM Imran fulfilled promise by publicizing sugar report: Sheikh Rashid   

The sugar Inquiry report is made public by the govt of Pakistan for keeping the masses well informed and in the loop to impart the clarity and making them understand the future implications and imperatives of this inquiry report in the longer run.

Cabinet has decided to the public the inquiry report. A subsidy of Rs 26.6 billion was awarded in the PML-N era without third party validation.

“Khaqan Abbasi appeared before the inquiry commission like a Tarzan, but failed to respond.”

In the commission report, Al-Arabiya Sugar Mills has been reported as the culprit which is owned by the Sharif family.

Shahbaz Sharif has self-quarantined himself when he is expected to face NAB inquiries.

Read more: Federal cabinet green-lights making sugar inquiry report public

Shahzad Akbar said Omni Group was one of the biggest beneficiaries who got billions on account of subsidy in Sindh despite consent of the cabinet.

The subsidy to the OMNI group was given via Sindh Bank.

In one year only, as heavy loss as Rs 300 Billion was injected to the government exchequer. Salman Shahbaz the son of PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif was the main beneficiary of the subsidy given by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi who claims himself a genius.