Islamabad: Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has been told that President Asif Ali Zardari figures at No 1 in the list of owners of sugar mills, Jahangir Tareen stands at No 2 and Sharif family is the third largest owner of sugar mills in Pakistan.
PAC met under its chairman Junaid Akbar Khan in parliament house Tuesday.
Secretary industries while giving briefing to PAC on sugar crisis said provincial governments regulate sugar industry. Representatives of sugar industry are also included in Sugar advisory boards. .
Committee was told Rs 10.07 subsidy per kilogram export of sugar was given in 2016-17.
He told the committee the X-Mill price of sugar is Rs 173 per kilogram while it is being sold at the rate of Rs 210 per kilogram.
Chairman PAC said people of Pakistan are being degraded for the sake of only 42 sugar mills.
He inquired we had sought list of sugar mills owners.
Member of committee Riaz Fatiana said one former sugar cane commissioner had disclosed deceit of Rs 287 billion has been committed with people in the name of sugar. Government has not refuted it. However this commissioner was removed from his post.
He held sugar mafia is running the government now. No one is there to care for people.
Committee expressed resentment for not providing name of sugar mills owners.
Secretary food security said we have name of sugar mills but name of their owners are not with us.
Committee members said we will not let the matter run this way. Give name of owners of sugar mills.
Chairman Committee inquired why subsidy was given to sugar mills owners for export of sugar.
Member committee Riaz Fatiana inquired what was reason that SRO was issued overnight and exemption was given in taxes.
Member of committee Moin Pirzada said President and Prime Minister of Pakistan are plundering the people and pocketing the looted money.
The root cause of evil is Sugar Advisory Board.
He said sugar mafia is part of government.
Chairman committee while seeking the list of name of sugar mills owners immediately said if name of sugar mills owners are not provided then we will table privilege motion in the parliament.
Later ministry of industries and production presented list of directors of sugar mills. The list of mills which imported and exported sugar was also presented.
The maximum sugar 494000 tones was exported to Afghanistan. JDW sugar mills owned by Jahangir Tareen exported the maximum sugar.
Committee members said sugar was exported at the rate of Rs 117 per kilogram and then imported at the rate of Rs 170 per kilogram.
They said as to why these robberies are committed when mills owners come to power.
Member committee said Zardari family , Jahangir Tareen and Sharif family are occupying position of first, second and third respectively in the list of owners of sugar mills in the country.