Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Accountability Shahzad Akbar says he had received the approval for the matters related to the sugar inquiry commission by the premier. PHOTO: APP/FILE
He further said that first reference regarding the sugar scandal had been sent to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal for which the anti-corruption watchdog will take action.
Addressing a news conference in the federal capital, the SAPM on Accountability disclosed the details of the steps taken in the light of sugar inquiry commission’s report.
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Akbar stated that he had received the approval for the matters related to the sugar inquiry commission by the premier.
He noted that the points which he had suggested to the premier had been approved.
He observed that the 16-page action plan included the details of the proceedings that are to be carried out against the accused involved in the sugar scam.
“The NAB (National Accountability Bureau) will investigate the subsidy matter, while the FBR (Federal Board of Revenue) will be taken onboard for the recovery of money,” he said.
“The issues pertaining to corporate fraud have been sent to the FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) and SECP (Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan),” he added.
He said the subsidy of Rs29 billion extended during the last five years was given on wrong grounds and lacked any legal decision.
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The special assistant said it had also been revealed in the commission’s report that the sugarcane growers received 30-35% less price than the actual rate fixed by the government.
“The mills violated the condition set for exports. In this context, the subsidy from 2014-19 was reviewed,” he said.
Akbar said that people working in departments were working in connivance with the mill owners.
“The audit firms did not detect the scam intentionally. All those audit firms will be black listed,” he said.
“We are also conducting an inquiry of the Rs4 billion subsidy given in our tenure,” he added.
The SAPM remarked that under the premier’s directives, a committee will be formed to determine the cost of production and the price of sugar which will be headed by Industries Minister Hammad Azhar.
He was of the view that a particular class had established hegemony in the sugar business which was powerful and had deep-rooted contacts in the institutions.
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