REVEALED: Abbasi awarded Rs 20 Billion on sugar in PML (N) Tenure

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar revealed that former prime minister of Pakistan Shahid Khaqan Abbasi awarded a subsidy of Rs 20 Billion out of Rs 26 billion on sugar in the tenure of Pakistan Muslim League (N).

Addressing News Conference Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar said Previously the sugar mafia has thrived and expanded with the support of corrupt governments. But this time, they are exposed & shut down in Prime Minister’ government.

Shahzad Akbar said publishing an inquiry report of the Sugar scandal is a big step & will further facilitate the process of accountability in the country. No government dared to take such a step earlier. For decades, Sugar Mafia has been robbing the farmers & the people of Pakistan. For the first time, an in-depth inquiry has been done & the report has been made public to assure transparency. The rise in sugar prices makes it clear that the crisis of one section of society has always been a source of profit for the other.

The sugar Inquiry report is made public by the Govt of Pakistan for keeping the masses well informed & in the loop to impart the clarity and making them understand the future implications and imperatives of this inquiry report in the longer run. He said To date there has been no inquiry on business policies, mode of the functionality of mills, bookkeeping, verification of stocks, track of exportation & money trail. Govt has historically gone at great lengths to fulfill its promise of accountability.

Cabinet has decided to the public the inquiry report. A subsidy of Rs 26.6 billion was awarded in the PMLN era. Shahzad Akbar said a subsidy of 20 Billion was awarded by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi that year in which the sugar cane crop was super yielding. In Commission report, Al-Arabiya Sugar Mills has been reported as the culprit which is owned by Sharif Family. Meanwhile Shahbaz Sharif has self-quarantined himself when he is expected to face NAB inquiries. Rs 29 billion have been given on account of subsidy in the PMLN era, whereas our Punjab government gave only 2.4 billion and no amount was allocated by the Federal government in subsidy. A considerable increase of 33% in sugar prices was observed in between Dec 2018 to Aug 2019.

Shahzad Akbar said Omni Group was one of the biggest beneficiaries who got billions on account of subsidy in Sindh. In one year only, as heavy loss as Rs 300 Billion was injected to the government exchequer. Salman Shahbaz the son of PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif was the main beneficiary of the subsidy given by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi who claims himself a genius.