Lahore: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has taken action against two mills in which federal minister Khusro Bakhtiar and his family members have significant stakes, as part of its investigation into the multibillion-dollar sugar fraud.
On April 15 and 16, the Lahore FIA summoned the heads of accounts and sales of the Two-Star Sugar Mills and Alliance Sugar Mills, both operated by the Rahim Yar Khan sugar group and linked to Mr. Bhaktiar and his family members.
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According to an official, “The investigation against Mr. Bakhtiar and his family members’ related sugar mills has been launched after their alleged links with the sugar pricing manipulators (satta-agents) surfaced,”
Officials from the mills have been asked to present a current inventory of sugar stocks, total production capacity, total sugar sold in 2020-21, details of all commission agents, forward booking process, list of bank accounts, inward and outward remittances, and other information.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Lahore is also investigating Khusru Bakhtiar for allegedly collecting assets worth billions as a public official.
Mr. Bakhtiar’s wealth increased dramatically during his time as chairman of the Rahim Yar Khan district council and as a federal minister.
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The NAB had previously told the Lahore High Court on a petition that investigations into allegations of amassing assets beyond established sources of income were underway and would be completed soon against Federal Minister Khusro Bakhtiar and his brother provincial minister Hashim Jawan Bakht.
In connection with the sugar scam, the FIA has summoned Jahangir Tareen, the former secretary-general of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), and his son Ali Tareen on Friday (today).
Top officials from the Ramzan Sugar Mills of Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, and other Sharif family members’ Chaudhry Sugar Mills, as well as three other mills, appeared before the FIA and requested a few days to respond to all of the FIA’s questions.
Meanwhile, the FIA summoned the heads of accounts and sales of Kiyani Group’s Chanar Sugar Mills and Hussain Group’s Hussain Sugar Mills for April 13, Itehad Group’s Itehad Sugar Mills, and Al-Shafi Group’s Kashmir Sugar Mills for April 14.
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