The opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday blasted Prime Minister Imran Khan for the delay in Sugar Forensic Commission (SFC) report, and termed it 'proof of the prime minister's guilt'.
The statement from Sharif, who is also opposition leader in National Assembly, came a day after SFC asked for an extension of three weeks' time to submit the report. In a twitter message on Saturday, the special assistant to the prime minister on accountability and interior Shahzad Akbar said that the commission had asked for an extension and the federal cabinet would consider their request on Tuesday.
"The delay in the report is validation of the government's theft of Rs100 billion. It is an attempt to protect those responsible for the sugar crisis," said Sharif. He said that "hiding the report would not hide Imran Khan's crimes as the nation is aware of who stole wheat and sugar, adding there is no need of any further inquiry or forensic audit.
He alleged that the federal cabinet, the Economic Coordination Committee and those who had approved the subsidies were responsible for the crisis. He also called for PML-N members; Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Khurram Dastagir Khan to be included in the inquiry commission, adding that then matters would be clear.
The SFC had been constituted by the government in the first week of April following the release of two separate inquiry reports of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on the issue of artificial shortage of sugar and wheat in the country and sudden increase in their prices last year.
The inquiry report on sugar had revealed names of many bigwigs, including Jahangir Tareen, a close aide of PM Khan, who had allegedly benefited from the crisis, but he vehemently denied the allegations.
After the release of the report, the opposition had demanded that the premier take stern action against those who had been declared responsible for the crisis by the FIA committee.
Prime Minister Khan had vowed to take action, but said he would do so after receiving the forensic audit report from the commission that he had constituted on the recommendation of the initial reports. The commission comprises officials from a number of agencies and departments including the Intelligence Bureau and the Federal Board of Revenue.
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