ISLAMABAD – PTI MNA Raja Riaz, a key supporter of sugar mogul Jahangir Tareen Khan, revealed on Tuesday that Prime Minister Imran Khan has assured that justice will be served at every cost in the sugar probe.
He was briefing the media about a meeting of a group of PTI lawmakers backing Tareen with the prime minister.
Riaz said that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere, adding that they had informed the premier about reservations regarding Special Assistant to PM on Accountability Shahzad Akbar.
He said that the premier was also told that Tareen was being victimized in the case.
The prime minister had sought time to look into their concerns, adding that he will not allow injustice to be done with anyone.
Raja Riaz said that they have full confidence in prime minister that he will ensure justice in the case.
Another member of the pro-Tareen group said that they had also requested the premier to separate Akbar from the probe and set up a neutral team in Tareen’s case.
The group of PTI lawmakers emerged after Tareen was booked in various cases related to sugar scandal.
Top investigator in probe against Pakistan’s sugar mafia replaced
The meeting comes a day after the head of a combined investigation team, which is investigating matter related to sugar mafia in Punjab, was replaced at a time when the probe is about to complete, local media reported.
Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Director Dr Rizwan has been replaced with Additional Director Abu Bakar Khuda Baksh.
Rizwan not only led the operation against sugar mafia but he himself investigated the matters against PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif and PTI’s estranged leader Jahangir Tareen Khan.
He had also been supervising matters ranging from registering all cases against other influential persons and sugar mill owners involved in sugar hoarding and speculation, to investigating and examining the evidence obtained from the FBR and other institutions.
According to local media, the FIA director was also threatened when he had launched the probe against sugar mafia.
The crucial inquiry has been completed by 70%, the reports, adding that Director Rizwan will remain part of the CIT but will not lead it.
The development come at a time when reports surfaced that Prime Minister Imran Khan has agreed to meet and listen to the reservations of PTI lawmakers who are supporting Jahangir Tareen amid the probe.
The premier is reportedly scheduled to meet at least 30 PTI lawmakers tomorrow where the party lawmakers will discuss the matter related to Tareen.
The high-powered CIT was by FIA head Wajid Zia in 2020 to probe an alleged financial crime of over Rs20 billion involving three biggest groups running sugar mills in the country.
It was tasked to launch probe against JDW Group of Companies, owned by PTI leader Jahangir Khan Tareen and Alliance Sugar Mills owned by RYK Group with major share of family of Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar and PML-Q leader Chaudhry Moonis Elahi.
The CIT was formed in light of the federal cabinet’s 23rd June 2020 decision which came in light of Sugar Inquiry Commission’s recommendations.
