Punjab govt exposes sugar scam dealers

FIA registers cases against 13 fugitive dealers

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD:

The Punjab government has taken action against 13 major dealers allegedly involved in the sugar scam, handing over their names to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), which has subsequently registered cases and initiated proceedings against them.

These dealers, in collusion with representatives of sugar mills, are accused of manipulating prices and illicitly amassing substantial profits through cartelization. They allegedly inflated sugar prices from Rs90 to Rs180 per kg.

It's believed that the apprehension of these dealers will provide authorities with vital leads to uncover the involvement of sugar mill owners in the scam. Additionally, the interrogation of these dealers is expected to yield critical information regarding sugar smuggling.

Despite concerted efforts by authorities, the FIA and other agencies have struggled to apprehend these dealers even after several days of pursuit.

Also read Sugar price increase blamed on smuggling

The names of Noman Qureshi and Sajid were provided to the FIA by sources in Khushab. Other identified dealers include Farooq Khan from Sargodha, Malik Azim from Kasur, Talha Kapoor and Jamal Mustafa from Karachi, Owais Bilal from Chishtian, Imran from Faisalabad, and Waqas from Mirpur. The list also includes dealer Ashraf from Lahore and Arshad from Multan. However, all these dealers currently remain missing from their homes and offices.

In a related development, the Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for appeals against sugar mills, which have been pending for eight years. A three-member bench, led by Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan, will commence proceedings on September 13. These appeals were initially filed in 2015.It is worth noting that the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has been closely monitoring the ongoing sugar crisis. If any signs of anti-competitive activities are detected, the CCP has pledged to take appropriate enforcement and policy actions.

In 2021, the CCP conducted raids at the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) and imposed penalties totaling Rs44 billion on the PSMA and its member sugar mills for their alleged involvement in cartelization. However, this decision faced legal challenges in the high courts of Sindh and Punjab, as well as the Competition Appellate Tribunal (CAT), leading to the suspension of penalty recovery.