ISLAMABAD - Sugar purchase mega scam of Rs 3 billion in respect of Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP), a subsidiary of Ministry of Commerce has been pointed out by audit.
Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has tasked NAB for recovering Rs 2 billion from 6 sugar mills owned by ruling elite which was paid to them for supply of sugar to government but they have neither supplied the sugar nor have they returned the money.
These sugar mills include Abdullah Sugar Mills Deebalpur, Haseeb Waqas Sugar Mills, TMK Sugar Mills, Seri Sugar Mills and Tandlianwala Sugar Mills.
PAC met here on Wednesday under its Chairman Khursheed Shah to review audit objections raised by audit in respect of accounts of Ministry of Commerce for the financial year 2013-14. Secretary Commerce Younis Dhaga told PAC letter has been sent to NAB for recovering Rs 2 billion from 6 sugar mills.
ECC had decided in a meeting held under the then Prime Minister in 2008 that sugar be purchased to maintain sugar stock.
Rs 2 billion were paid to these 6 sugar mills in advance.
When asked, Commerce Secretary told PAC only 10 per cent guarantee was obtained against payment of Rs 2 billion.
Commerce Secretary told PAC sugar mills owners had exported 7 million metric tones sugar during the last 4 years.
Nawaz Sharif government had allowed them subsidy of billion of rupees to them. Ashiq Gopang said that outstanding arrears were not paid to the farmers despite availing subsidy of billion of rupees.
Achakzai said that some sugar mills have maintained monopoly on sugar export.
Commerce Secretary said that government has now withdrawn subsidy on export of sugar.
However, government has allowed to export 300,000 million tones sugar.
PAC directed that process of making advance payment on purchase of sugar be suspended.
Ministry of commerce told APC that letter has been written to NAB on June 8, 2017 for recovering Rs 2 billion from NAB. NAB representative, however, expressed his ignorance about this letter.
TCP authorities said that this matter is subjudice. The case was being heard in last October.
PAC directed Commerce Ministry to provide details of the sugar mills which had exported sugar and were provided subsidy.
The audit told PAC that a sum of Rs 1.16 billion are recoverable from Tandlianwala Sugar Mills owned by Humayun Akhtar Khan, Rs 630 million from TMK Sugar Mills, Rs 600 million from two units of Abdullah Sugar Mills, Rs 120 million from Haseeb Waqas Sugar Mills, Rs 15 million from Seri Sugar Mills.
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