Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar told the Sugar Forensic Commission (SFC) that he did not remember the meeting, wherein he allowed the subsidies to the sugar mills owners of Punjab.
Journalist Benzir Shah tweeted a page of SFC report that was made public on Thursday, saying: “CM Punjab Usman Buzdar said he did not remember the meeting he had chaired to allow subsidies to sugar mills.”
https://twitter.com/benazir_shah/status/1263457241702809600?s=12
The SFC report noted that the CM Punjab pleaded his case on grounds that the subsidy was granted by the provincial cabinet and it was a ‘collective decision’. “However, keeping in view the minutes of the meeting dated 06-12-2018, which the CM Punjab claims to have forgotten, clearly indicates otherwise,” the report said.
On Thursday, Information Minister Shibli Faraz and Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar revealed details from a report issued by SFC constituted to investigate the shortage and price hike of the sugar in the country in recent times.
While addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside the information minister, SAPM Akbar said that the commission's report, which was discussed by the federal cabinet earlier today, revealed that six major sugar mill groups were acting as ‘cartels’. "They hold 51 per cent of the total supply," he added.
The SFC was constituted by Prime Minister Imran Khan in the first week of April following the release of two separate inquiry reports of the FIA on the issue of artificial shortage of sugar and wheat in the country and sudden increase in their prices last year. The inquiry report on sugar had revealed names of many bigwigs, including PTI stalwart Jahangir Tareen, who had allegedly benefitted from the crisis.
Journalist Benzir Shah tweeted a page of SFC report that was made public on Thursday, saying: “CM Punjab Usman Buzdar said he did not remember the meeting he had chaired to allow subsidies to sugar mills.”
https://twitter.com/benazir_shah/status/1263457241702809600?s=12
The SFC report noted that the CM Punjab pleaded his case on grounds that the subsidy was granted by the provincial cabinet and it was a ‘collective decision’. “However, keeping in view the minutes of the meeting dated 06-12-2018, which the CM Punjab claims to have forgotten, clearly indicates otherwise,” the report said.
On Thursday, Information Minister Shibli Faraz and Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar revealed details from a report issued by SFC constituted to investigate the shortage and price hike of the sugar in the country in recent times.
While addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside the information minister, SAPM Akbar said that the commission's report, which was discussed by the federal cabinet earlier today, revealed that six major sugar mill groups were acting as ‘cartels’. "They hold 51 per cent of the total supply," he added.
The SFC was constituted by Prime Minister Imran Khan in the first week of April following the release of two separate inquiry reports of the FIA on the issue of artificial shortage of sugar and wheat in the country and sudden increase in their prices last year. The inquiry report on sugar had revealed names of many bigwigs, including PTI stalwart Jahangir Tareen, who had allegedly benefitted from the crisis.