Special advisor to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razzak Dawood appeared before the sugar inquiry commission on Thursday.
According to details, Abdul Razzak Dawood was summoned by the sugar inquiry commission to question him regarding sugar exports and subsidies in light of the sugar crisis that gripped the country few months ago.
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Sources say that Abdul Razak Dawood headed the sugar advisory board and it was upon his advice that Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) permitted the export of 1.1 million tonnes of sugar in October and December of 2018.
Prior to this Federal Minister for planning and development Asad Umar had appeared before the sugar inquiry commission, on Tuesday, to answer commission’s questions regarding ECC’s decision regarding sugar exports.
Asad Umar was followed by Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar, who on Wednesday, appeared before the commission to answer its queries regarding freight subsidies given to 24 sugar mills in Punjab from 2017 to 2019 amounting to Rs11.8 billion.
CM Usman Buzdar was also inquired about his decision to reward Rs 2.5 billion in subsidies for 15 sugar mills in Punjab in 2019, which also includes PTI leader Jahangir Tarin’s JK Sugar Mills Pvt Ltd, which received Rs 5 million from Punjab government last year.
Furthermore, Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah has refused to appear before the sugar inquiry commission on Thursday.
“The Sindh government had nothing to do with the subsidy on sugar and price hike,” read the statement issued by Sindh government.
It is to be noted that the sugar inquiry commission, headed by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Wajid Zia, has been formed on the directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan to investigate the sugar crisis in the country during 2018 to 2020.
