This is apropos a Business Recorder news item titled "Inquiry committee report "Export behind increase in sugar prices" carried by the newspaper yesterday. No doubt, the inquiry report must have left the PTI-led ruling alliance red-faced because those who have benefited from the "unjustified" export of this commodity included ruling alliance's Jahangir Khan Tareen and Munis Illahi. The report has concluded, among other things, that with the export, sugar prices started increasing and exporters gained benefits in two ways - first, they were able to gain subsidy and secondly, they made profit from the increasing sugar prices in the local market. The report of inquiry committee constituted by the Prime Minister, Imran Khan, regarding increase in sugar price stated that the cost of procurement of sugarcane, overhead and financial charges, taxation as well as efficiency of the mill with regards to the recovery ratio are the main determinants of the ex-mill price of sugar." It has also noted that the Sugar Advisory Board failed to take the timely decision to ban the export of sugar.
The question is: what will be prime minister's response to this report? Will he take all those named in this report to task? Moreover, another inquiry report has held a federal ministry, provincial governments and Passco for the wheat and wheat flour crisis. He is expected to act decisively in response to these findings in order to forestall the occurrence of such and similar crisis during the dire times of coronavirus in particular.
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