Buzdar apprises commission of Punjab govt role in sugar crisis.

Byline: Mansoor Malik

LAHORE -- Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Wednesday appeared before the commission of inquiry on the sugar scam at the FIA offices in Islamabad and recorded his statement regarding the Punjab government's role from the crushing season to the freight support and export subsidy of sugar in 2018-19 financial year.

Earlier, PML-N senior vice-president Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had appeared before the commission on Saturday and Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar had recorded his statement on the decisions taken by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) and the federal cabinet regarding sugar and its export on Tuesday.

The chief minister, it is learnt, replied to different questions by the commission. Sources told Dawn that Buzdar explained to the inquiry commission all details that how the issue of beginning of cane crushing got aggravated and in what circumstances subsidy/ freight charges were allowed.

Mr Buzdar told the inquiry commission that the Economic Coordination Committee in its meeting held on Oct 2, 2018 allowed export with the condition that no subsidy/freight charges would be permissible. However, he said, neither export of sugar could take place nor crushing could start despite best efforts by the Punjab government. The chief minister also produced a Ministry of Commerce's Oct 10 letter explaining decisions of the ECC.

He stated that a cabinet ministerial committee comprising four provincial ministers was constituted on Oct 30, 2018 to monitor and address the issues of sugar sector. The committee held a series of meetings and was also involved in consultation with all stakeholders - cane growers and sugar mill owners.

The chief minister said the sugar mill owners did not intimate probable date of start of crushing and the cane growers across Punjab grew restless because the cane crushing could not be delayed beyond Nov 30.

On the other, the chief minister stated the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) started a rigorous campaign in the print and electronic media expressing their inability to commence crushing season unless their demands were met that included freight subsidy for being competitive in the export market. The sugarcane growers and the Kissan groups started agitation and sporadic protests throughout cane growing areas of Punjab.

The chief minister said the ministerial committee engaged both PSMA and farmers to resolve their issues and they also called on him during...