Daily Times

The government’s failure to take action against big fish involved in sugar crisis continues hitting hard the consumers, as sugar prices across the country have surged again to Rs100 per kilogram or more in ten major cities, according to the data shared by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The PBS data revealed that sugar is being sold for the most expensive amount throughout the country, in Karachi for Rs110/kg. The commodity is being sold in Islamabad and Rawalpindi for Rs105/kg while the average price of sugar throughout the country has reached Rs98/kg. In six cities across the country, the price of sugar has risen to Rs100/kg, said the PBS. In Quetta, Bahawalpur, Multan, Peshawar and Sialkot, the price of sugar has reached Rs100/kg while it is being sold for Rs98-100/kg in Hyderabad. In Faisalabad, it is being sold for Rs98/kg.

In Khuzdar, sugar is being sold for Rs97/kg while in Sargodha it is being sold for Rs96/kg. In Sukkur, the price of sugar is Rs98/kg, in Larkana Rs95/kg while in Bannu is it being sold for Rs95/kg.

Earlier on Wednesday last, Prime Minister Imran Khan showed resentment over the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) as it failed to show any recoveries from the sugar mills owned by the government personalities.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) presented the report showing recoveries of more than Rs400 billion from the sugar mills on the orders of the Premier. The report showed recoveries from the small sugar companies but failed to show any recoveries from the ‘big fish’.

Showing resentment over the report compiled by the country’s supreme tax body, PM Imran Khan asked the FBR officials why across the board action was not initiated in the sugar scandal. The FBR officials replied that investigation against the big companies owned by the Sharif family, JKT group, Khushro Bakhtiar, Humayun Akhtar group, RYK, Ittehad Sugar Mills and others are currently underway, but the officials failed to give a convincing reply to the Premier.