The next step: PM Khan’s close aides exposed for creating sugar crisis

For two-months the public awaited reports on the recent sugar and wheat crises in Pakistan. Now the reports have finally been made public on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The much-awaited reports exposed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf’s bigwig and PM Imran’s close aide Jahangir Tareen and allied leader Federal Minister for food security Khusro Bakhtiar as behind the commodity crisis. PML-Q leader Monis Elahi, PML-N’s Chaudhry Munir and Omni Group were also among beneficiaries, according to the report.

In this regard, Prime Minister Imran Khan today (Sunday) said that he made the inquiry reports public as promised. Let’s take an in-depth review of the probe report.

The probe report

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director general Wajid Zia lead a commission that carried out the investigation and submitted the reports to the Prime Minister. The first report is detailed the sugar crisis, its high prices and the subsidy obtained by sugar baron last year in particular and the past four years in general. The second report is about wheat, the reasons, and persons behind the wheat crisis.

Wheat Report

The report on wheat revealed that provincial governments are responsible for the wheat crisis in Pakistan. The report stated that the process of wheat management in the provinces is fraught with defects. The report also blamed the Federal Ministry of Food Security and Pasco for the crisis. Flour mills association was also exposed in the wheat and flour crisis.

Sugar Report

The report on Sugar revealed that the production of sugar in 2016-17 and 2017-18 was more than the estimated domestic consumption, hence it was exported. The report exposed two main groups that obtain maximum benefit during the crisis.

1- JWD group: This group belongs to Mr. Jahangir Tareen, which has six sugar mills and obtained 12.28 percent of total export subsidy amounting to Rs 3.058 billion during 2015-18. Mr. Tareen’s companies exported 17.24 percent of total production of sugar and availed Rs561 million.

2- RYK group: It belong to Makhdoom Umar Shehryar (a relative of Khusro Bakhtiar), Chaudhry Munir of PML-N and Monis Elahi of PML-Q. The group availed 15.83 percent export subsidy, amounting to Rs 3.944 billion during 2015-18.

The probe report also stated that the exporters gained benefits in two ways — first, they were able to gain subsidy and second they made a profit from increasing sugar prices in the local market.

What’s next?

Prime Minister Imran Khan in his manifesto for general elections 2018 stated that corruption is one of the biggest obstacles in the country’s development. In his election campaign, he assured the people of Pakistan that he will stern measures against the corrupt elements of the society.

Earlier, PM Imran gave a clean chit to Jahangir Tareen and Khsuro Bakhtiar in flour and wheat crisis. Now, the probe report has changed the game and named both of his aides among beneficiaries. However, PM Imran today (Sunday) in a tweet said, “I await the detailed forensic reports now by the high-powered commission, which will come out on 25 April, before taking action. After these reports come out no powerful lobby will be able to profiteer at the expense of our public.”

Now the question is will PM Imran Khan fulfill his commitment to transparency and accountability or not?