Daily Times

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Barrister Shahzad Akbar on Friday said some Rs 254 million of Ramzan Package 2018 had been misappropriated by 149 flour mills tasked to provide flour to the people on subsidised rates.

Talking to media, he said out of Rs 254 million, a sum of Rs 190 million has already been recovered and deposited into the national exchequer, while action is also being taken against 156 officials of food department. The anti-corruption department has started criminal proceedings against 70 officials of food department who were directly involved in misappropriation of wheat subsidy. He said 149 flour mills were involved in the embezzlement of wheat from out of a total of 687 mills. “Right now, due to strict measures taken, a 20 kg flour bag is available at Rs 860. In case of complaint, helpline of Punjab government could be contacted,” he added.

He said the Supreme Court has vacated the stay orders of Sindh High Court on the report of Sugar Inquiry Commission. “Stay orders were sought by the Sugar Mills Association. Supreme Court has also directed the high courts to decide pending petitions relating to sugar commission within three weeks,” he said, adding that over 100 stay orders regarding sugar mills are still pending in different courts since the last 11 years.

He said the government has made public sugar inquiry commission report first time in the history. Islamabad High Court had also vacated sugar mills association’s stay order after vigorous persuasion by the government, he added.

On receiving sugar inquiry report, he said the federal cabinet had approved a strategy including roadmap of taking punitive action, introducing reforms and rationalising the price of sugar. A committee headed by Minister for Industries Hammad Azhar has been constituted to finalise the reforms in sugar policy and rationalise prices of sugar. The committee has started negotiations with the Sugar Mills Association in this regard. Provincial governments, Competition Commission of Pakistan, State Bank of Pakistan, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) have been directed to investigate violations by sugar mills in accordance with their rules and report within a period of 90 days.

He said a reference has been sent to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to investigate the misappropriation in subsidies given to sugar mills according to NAB Ordinance, 1999. The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) would probe cartelisation by sugar industry in last 10 years, while the State Bank of Pakistan will investigate sugar mills wilful loan defaults and pledged sugar stocks according to their rules. The FIA will inquire the fake export of sugar to Afghanistan and report within 90 days, he added.

The SAPM said the provincial governments have been asked to probe violations by sugar mills including paying less price of sugarcane to farmers and other violations. Responding to a question, he said the delay in action against sugar is due to litigation against punitive actions.