Explanations weaken government’s standThe two reports by FIA regarding the sugar and wheat crises raise more questions than they answer. A prominent PTI leader and co-industrialists have been accused of exporting sugar, benefitting from subsidies and profiteering from rise in the domestic price of sugar. The sugar price being lower in the international market it could not have been exported without the government’s subsidy. The FIA report has held the governments of all the four provinces and federal agency Passco responsible for failing to meet the wheat procurement targets, thus causing wheat shortage. The decision was subsequently endorsed by the Punjab cabinet presided over by CM Usman Buzdar, overruling Mr Chaudhry who opposed itConclusion: The Prime Minister, his former Finance Minister and the Punjab Chief Minister have to blame themselves for the consequences of their own decisions instead of looking for scapegoats.

Source: Pakistan Today April 08, 2020 17:48 UTC