Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah Thursday said that political statements were being made by government circles on the sugar inquiry commission's report.
The provincial Information Minister said that when the terms of reference of the sugar inquiry commission did not include the periods in which sugar was subsidized in Sindh, "why should Chief Minister Sindh record his statement with the commission?" He said that it was quite surprising that Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability, Shehzad Akbar on the one hand did not even mention the name of Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar in his press conference about whose tenure this sugar inquiry commission was investigating, whereas, he mentioned the name of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah repeatedly in his press conferences, even when, the commission's ToRs did not include the periods in which sugar was subsidized in Sindh.
He said this while addressing a press conference here. Barrister Murtaza Wahab, Law Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah was also present during the press conference.
At the outset of the press conference, prayers were offered for the victims of the coronavirus and PIA plane crash and a minute of silence was observed. Shah said that the Prime Minister who gave permission to export sugar was not named in the report of the Commission of Inquiry. The provincial Information Minister said that the inquiry should be with the PM instead of the chief minister of Sindh as to how he allowed the export of sugar. He said that only 40.5 percent subsidy was given to Omni Group. Shah questioned why sugar was expensive today in the reign of these angels? The commission in its report had clearly stated that the price of sugar increased due to export.
He said that when the price of sugar in the local market was rising, its export should had been stopped. Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that whenever sugar wash subsidized in Sindh, it was for to farmers and common landowners. The provincial Information Minister said that in the past in Sindh the sugar was subsidized because sugar mills had ample sugar, and it could not be exported due to the price, so the government decided to subsidize it.
He said that, despite the fact that, the sugar probe commission summoned Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and recorded his statement, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, Shahzad Akbar, instead of mentioning Usman Buzdar, talked about Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and the Sindh government in his daily press conferences. Syed Hussain Shah said that if the Sindh government had ever given the subsidy on sugar, it was not aimed at favouring any Omni group, Jahangir Tareen or other big fish, adding that, the subsidy was given to benefit growers and the farmers only.
The provincial Information Minister said that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had been appearing before the National Accountability Bureau and other investigative agencies in the past, because he had never done anything wrong, but as his tenure as CM had not been mentioned in the term of references of sugar probe commission then why would he appear before it? He said that these people were implicating Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in the inquiry report of sugar probe commission to save their skin.
Shah said that it has been the practice of PTI leaders that whenever they were asked about any allegation, instead of defending themselves, they threw accusations at others. The provincial Information Minister said that even before this, baseless allegations were levelled against PPP leaders regarding fake accounts. He said that according to the leaders of the PTI if the accounts belonged to former president Asif Ali Zardari or PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari then they were fake, on the contrary, if an account in question belonged to a PTI leader then it was called as business account.
He demanded that a joint investigation team should be formed to verify the accounts of PTI leaders. The provincial Information Minister said that the incompetence of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had become apparent to all, especially after the way it handled the Coronavirus crises. He further said that also the manner in which the PTI government responded to locusts' attacks in Sindh and Balochistan was enough to prove its inefficiency.
The provincial minister said that if the pesticides were sprayed on time, the crops would not be damaged as much as they had been so far. Giving more examples of incompetence of the PTI government, Shah said that at a time when international oil prices were at extremely low levels, it was incomprehensible on part of the PTI government to stop big companies from importing oil.
The provincial Information Minister said that the fall of Pakistani rupee against the dollar was also owing to the failed economic policies of the PTI government. He said that the PTI government has ruined the economy of the country.
Shah further said that the investigation into the plane crash should be done in a transparent manner. The provincial information minister said that all the facts in this regard should be made public. He said that all possible help should be extended to all those who lost their loved ones in this tragic incident, and those who lost their homes by the plane crash.
Talking about the lockdown, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that at a time when the number of people infected with the Coronavirus was increasing, how could the lockdown be relaxed? The provincial Information Minister said it was wrong to give the impression that there was not enough space in hospitals in Sindh to accommodate people infected with the Coronavirus.
He said that apart from Jinnah and Civil Hospital, there was ample space in Karachi Expo Center where people infected with Coronavirus were being taken care of. Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the parliamentary parties had agreed on a standard operating procedures for the Sindh Assembly session. The provincial Information Minister said that lockdown restrictions would be implemented in Sindh till May 31.
Shah said that the alleged murder of journalist Zulfiqar Mandrani was being investigated, adding that, the facts would be presented to the journalist community soon. The provincial Information Minister said that along with the freedom of the press, the protection of the lives and property of the journalists was also the responsibility of the Sindh government.
He said that Sindh government would provide full protection to journalists.
Speaking on the occasion, Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that according to the report of the Commission of Inquiry, the subsidy on sugar was given with the permission of the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan.
Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister said that despite this fact, the Commission of Inquiry never called the Prime Minister of Pakistan and its entire focus remained on Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. He said that when the government saw that the opposition had not been blamed in the report of the commission, it decided that the subsidy given in the past should also be made a part of the report, adding that, the decision was based on ill-intention. Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that the subsidy on sugar in Sindh was last given in December 2017.
Sindh Chief Minister's Legal Adviser said that the commission should have also inquired from the Prime Minister of Pakistan as to how he had allowed the export of sugar. He said the report appeared to be an attempt to protect the prime minister. Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that when sugar was subsidized in Sindh, its price did not increase.
Wahab added that only the federal government had the authority to import and export sugar and no province had it. He said that in the meeting of the Sugar Advisory Board, all the provinces kept complaining about the increase in the price of sugar but they were not heard. He said that the Prime Minister was also the Minister in charge of Commerce and the summary of subsidy on sugar was moved with his permission.
He said that Sindh government had not given the subsidy on sugar to any mill businessman or any group for the last three years. He said that permission to export one million tonnes of sugar was given by the Economic Coordination Committee.
He further said that with the permission of the Prime Minister, a further relaxation was given on the subsidy of Rs 2 billion.