A tense meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday, chaired by MNA Junaid Akbar Khan, exposed serious financial irregularities and voiced alarm over Pakistan’s worsening sugar crisis, unpaid state media employees, and policy lapses across key ministries.
Audit officials informed the committee that the Press Information Department (PID) received a Rs1.95 billion supplementary grant meant specifically for a national flood awareness campaign, but spent just Rs150 million on the initiative. The rest of the funds were diverted for unrelated purposes—a clear violation of financial rules, auditors said. However, the Information Secretary claimed the funds were not earmarked solely for flood communication.
During the same session, lawmakers voiced grave concern over the deteriorating finances of Pakistan Television (PTV). Employees have reportedly gone months without salaries. Lawmakers including Shazia Marri and Shahida Akhtar Ali demanded an immediate probe, prompting the formation of a subcommittee to investigate.
The committee also questioned the operations of Bol News, with Syed Aminul Haque raising concerns over how the channel was functioning without formal security clearance. Officials explained that the matter was currently under a Sindh High Court stay order and thus sub-judice.
A major portion of the session was dedicated to the ongoing sugar crisis. The Secretary for Industries and Production reported that Pakistan had a sugar surplus of 1.3 million tons in FY2023-24, of which 790,000 tons were cleared for export. He said 1.9 million tons remain in stock, expected to last until November, and noted the crushing season runs November 15 to March 15.
Despite these figures, lawmakers remained unconvinced. The Secretary for National Food Security claimed the average sugar price was Rs173 per kg, but members, including Umar Ayub, countered that sugar was selling for above Rs200 in their constituencies. Senator Fauzia Arshad added that sugar was scarce or unaffordable for ordinary citizens.
PAC members criticised the government’s inconsistent sugar policy, which has seen exports one year and imports the next. MNA Khawaja Shehraz Mehmood labelled the policy a “daylight robbery”, accusing companies that profited from exports of now benefitting from imports as well.
MNA Malik Amir Dogar escalated the discussion with direct allegations against political leaders. He claimed that Rs287 billion in sugar profits had gone to a few powerful individuals, naming former president Asif Ali Zardari, Jahangir Tareen, and the Sharif family as owners of the most sugar mills in the country. His remarks triggered heated exchanges with Senator Afnan Ullah and Shazia Marri, who demanded evidence for such serious claims.
Chairman Junaid Akbar also expressed frustration that the list of sugar mill owners and directors had not been submitted to the committee as requested. Officials from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said the list had now been obtained and would be shared soon.
The chairman also questioned how long sugar could be stored before spoiling. The Industries Secretary replied that sugar typically remains usable for three to four months, unless stored under special conditions.
The meeting ended with a revelation that the government plans to import 300,000 tons of sugar ahead of the next crushing season to meet domestic demand. Lawmakers urged the government to protect local farmers and ensure sugar isn’t imported from countries where it was previously exported.
The PAC directed all ministries involved to submit full documentation in upcoming briefings and warned that incomplete reports would not be accepted. The session underscored a pressing need for transparency, coordinated policymaking, and accountability across government departments.
