Fawad Chaudhry blames Nawaz Sharif, Zardari for high sugar price

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain blamed the previous governments’ policies for destroying the economy and forcing the masses to pay its price.

However, he also conceded that rising oil prices had an impact here as well. Speaking over flour and sugar prices, he explained their prices are higher in Sindh than in other province as majority of sugar mills in Sindh belong to Asif Ali Zardari while in Punjab, the Sharif family controls them. “We appeal to the judiciary to lift the restraining order, so the government can provide Rs90 per kg of sugar to the people, as its rate was fixed already. Sindh was supposed to start crushing from November 1, but it has chosen not to do so. If the crushing starts in Punjab, then the situation will improve,” he said.

The minister was speaking during a joint news conference with Federal Minister for Food Security and Research Syed Fakhr Imam on Friday. He came down hard on the economic policies of the previous governments and said that it was not possible to do away with their impact in three years. Citing the news conference and statements of PML-N leadership, he said the people are not going to listen to the PMLN and added, "the problems being pointed out to us today are due to these people. Because of them, the value of dollar increased, they de-industrialized Pakistan and 2010 to 2018 was the worst period when the country's debt multiplied.

“We have to repay $10 billion this year, will repay 12 billion next year. The nation is facing problems today due to their irresponsible economic policies. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Muftah Ismail used to criticize Ishaq Dar and now they are justifying them,” he pointed out. Fawad held Ishaq Dar responsible for the destruction of the country's economy.

About the massive increase in sugar prices, the minister said at present the news of increase in sugar prices is coming from Karachi. The prices of other commodities in Karachi are also higher than other parts of the country. The price of a bag of flour in Karachi is Rs380 costlier than Punjab. He emphasized that the Sindh government should clarify its position; first, they delayed the release of wheat and now the crushing of sugar is being delayed. The people of Sindh are facing problems because of the provincial government. “Videos of people being killed in Sindh for recording hunting videos and in some places women were being killed are appearing on the social media. The media should also pay attention to this and put pressure on the Sindh government to independently investigate them,” he contended.

The federal information minister said that the daily consumption of sugar is 15,000 tons per day, out of which 6,000 tons are used by domestic consumers and 9,000 tons go to industrial consumers. The government has 130,000 tons of sugar, so there is no pressure of any kind; this sugar is enough for 22 days and the crushing will start in Punjab in 15 days. The government, he noted, has fixed the price of sugar at Rs90, which includes the sugar mills profit of Rs16. When we went to get it released, they got a restraining order from the court. The sugar crisis in the country is due to private sugar mills, he added.

Regarding petrol, he said there is a crisis in the world market. If the government had maintained the PMLN's taxes, the price of petrol would have shot to Rs180 per liter today. “Instead, we have kept the taxes at the lowest level due to which the government is earning Rs50 billion from petroleum products which should have been Rs450 billion to Rs500 billion otherwise,” he explained.

The minister said that the United Nations has also stated that food prices in the world market are at the highest level in 10 years. Similarly, energy prices have risen worldwide. He said that poverty is also higher in India and Bangladesh, where oil prices are Rs50 to Rs60 higher than in Pakistan.