Jahangir Tareen rejects allegations in sugar inquiry report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Jahangir Khan Tareen has rejected the sugar inquiry commission’s report and said that he will prove all allegations against him are false.

The PTI stalwart said that he was shocked at the kind of false allegations leveled against his legitimate business. He said that he has always run a clean business and all of Pakistan knows that he pay full price to his growers.

Jahangir Tareen also rejected the allegation that like other sugar mills, two different sets of books were being maintained, stating that he pays all his taxes with diligence. Tareen vowed to answer every allegation and be vindicated.

I am shocked at the kind of false allegations levelled against me. I have always run a clean business. All Pakistan knows I always pay full price to my growers. I DO NOT maintain 2 sets of Books. I pay all my taxes diligently. I will answer every allegation and be vindicated IA.

— Jahangir Khan Tareen (@JahangirKTareen) May 21, 2020

The PTI stalwart was reacting to the decision of the federal cabinet to make the inquiry report of the commission on sugar crisis public. The report reveals damning details and financial irregularities rampant in sugar mills.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) leader Moonis Elahi has backed inquiry commission report, saying that he was the owner of any sugar mill.

In a tweet, the PML-Q leader said: “As stated earlier I am not involved in the management nor am I on the board of any Sugar Mill. I strongly support the recommendation of commission to control satta/speculation including new legislation to help government control sugar price manipulation,” he said.

As stated earlier I am not involved in the management nor am I on the board of any SugarMill. I strongly support the recommendation of commission to control satta/speculation including new legislation to help government control sugar price manipulation.

— Moonis Elahi (@MoonisElahi6) May 21, 2020

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar addressed a press conference alongside Information Minister Shibli Faraz to reveal the finds of the report of the inquiry commission established to ascertain the reasons for the increase in sugar prices.

Shahzad Akbar said the report explicitly says that sugar mill owners pay an amount to sugarcane growers even less than the support price. In addition, all sugar mills make cuts in the weight of sugarcane from 15 to 30 percent.

He disclosed that the commission also found irregularities in the form of giving advance payments to farmers in the form of cash or commodity which is akin to unregulated banking and harmed farmers.

He said that today marks a very important day in history of Pakistan as no government ever made such commissions in the past or revealed their findings publically. He said the prime minister has fulfilled his promise and has advised government advisers to declare their assets to ensure transparency.

Shahzad Akbar said a subsidy of RS29 billion rupees was given to sugar industry in the last five years. He said it was revealed the total income tax of 88 sugar mills was Rs10 billion rupees after receiving a tax refund, while six big groups control a 51 percent share of the sugar industry.