NA committee continues probe into sugar crisis

ISLAMABAD: Continuing its investigation into the prevalent sugar crisis, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce on Thursday asked the secretaries of the ministries of Commerce and Industry, Pakistan Trading Corporation officials and officials from the State Bank to explain their position at the committee’s next meeting.

The committee held that the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industries and the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) were responsible for the sugar crisis as they acted on the recommendations of the sugar industry and delayed the import of sugar.

The committee also decided to continue gathering evidence against those responsible for sugar hoarding and creating an artificial shortage in sugar supply. The committee expressed grave concern over the loss of Rs 800 million from the national exchequer due to the Commerce and Industry ministries’ holding a second tender on May 29, 2009 for importing 50,000 tonnes of sugar. sajid chaudhry

source: dailytimes