LAHORE: Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill on Saturday said that the Competitive Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has imposed a fine of Rs44 billion to 81 sugar mills for embezzlement, corruption and exploitation of the farmers.
Addressing a press conference here at the Press Information Department (PID), Gill said that the highest fine of Rs300 million has been imposed on the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) for its persistent anti-competitive practice.
He said that two of the four members of the CCP have been fined immediately and two have been under further investigation, adding that the CCP existed even before the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf but it remained silent about the corruption of sugar mafia because it was occupied by politicians.
He said that the law is equal for all and whoever commits corruption would be accountable, adding that the owners of sugar mills always blackmail the government and get subsidies but Prime Minister Imran Khan is the only ruler, who could not be blackmailed.
He said that for the last several years, a subsidy of Rs30 billion was being given to sugar mills, adding that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government has stopped this subsidy and provided relief to the people and farmers.
“Why so many landlords came to politics, made sugar mills or established TV channels”, questioned the SAPM and replied that they wanted to get benefits from government and make more money.
He said that PSMA did not perform its actual work but wasted its energy to manipulate the market for its own interest, adding that the PSMA sets up zonal committees in Punjab for determining the price, stock in the market and makes its own decisions in this regard.
He said that that PSMA stopped crushing of 15 sugar mills illegally in the Punjab zone from December 30,2019 to January 11, 2020, adding that during the period, farmers suffered from severe losses and stood in lines outside the mills for several days.
He said that PSMA sold 20,000 metric tonnes of sugar to utility stores in 2019 and made a lot of money, adding that he was eyewitness in Punjab that the owners of sugar mills blackmailed the government and took subsidies from it.
Gill said that for the first time in the history, a premier has gripped his hands around their necks, adding that Imran Khan would recover looted money from every corrupt mafia and return to farmers.
He said that players in the sugar business are present in every sector like politics, businesses, bureaucracy and other powerful sectors of the country therefore they influence the accountability process.
He said the PTI government is providing Health card to people.
In his message on the Independence Day, he urged the nation to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Imran Khan against the mafia.
He said that Quad-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s stance proved correct that Hindus were narrow minded people.
