Shehbaz leads list of sugar barons with outstanding dues

Humayun and Haroon Akhtar, Zaka Ashraf also own mills issued show-cause notices by cane commissioner

LAHORE: Sugar mills owned by the president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) owe almost a billion rupees in dues to farmers, while a couple of other big names also have outstanding dues.

The Punjab cane commissioner has sent show-cause notices to 10 sugar mills over Rs1.52 billion in outstanding payments to sugarcane farmers.

Most notable among the mill owners are PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) leader Zaka Ashraf, and former commerce minister Humayun Akhtar Khan and his brother,  former senator and former adviser to the PM Haroon Akhtar Khan.

The Cane Commission has ordered the mill owners to clear all dues to farmers by July 30, after which action will be taken against the owners under land revenue recovery laws.

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Official data lists 47 sugar mills in Punjab, 44 of which are active. These mills have paid over Rs136 billion of the roughly Rs138 billion due to cane farmers. However, 10 mills still owe over Rs1.52 billion.

The sugar mills which have been given notices include two sugar mills owned by Shebaz Sharif – Ramzan Sugar Mill with dues of Rs580 million and Al Arabia Sugar Mill with dues of Rs395 million. Abbas Mairaj, a cousin of Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif, owes Rs200 million on account of Abdullah Mill.

Humayun and Haroon Akhtar Khan's Tandlianwala Sugar Mill has dues of Rs70 million, while PPP leader and former Pakistan Cricket Board chief Zaka Ashraf, as the owner of Ashraf Sugar Mill, has to clear dues of Rs48.6 million.

Meanwhile, Pattoki Sugar Mill owes Rs98.2 million, while Adam Sugar Mill has to pay dues of Rs68.9 million.

Crescent group’s Shakarganj (i) has dues of Rs23.2 million, while Shakarganj (ii) has to clear Rs20 million.

The tenth defaulter was Shah Taj Sugar Mill, which has dues of Rs14.3 million.