The National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce has ordered a detailed investigation into past sugar export approvals that were allegedly made against the national interest. The directive came during a meeting chaired by Muhammad Jawed Hanif Khan at Parliament House, where the committee reviewed progress on trade policy, export diversification, regulatory reforms, and industrial competitiveness.
The Committee adopted the report presented by the Ministry of Commerce and emphasized the need to identify individuals responsible for authorizing sugar exports that harmed the national economy. The Chairman noted that repeated errors required a thorough inquiry into those who facilitated such actions and stressed that accountability must be ensured.
A Sub-Committee comprising Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Tahira Aurangzeb, Farhan Chishti, and Gul Asghar Khan was formed to examine the matter in depth. The Chairman further directed that the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) be summoned to explain its failure to curb cartelization in the sugar sector. The Sub-Committee recommended deregulation of the sugar sector to prevent manipulation and speculative practices, along with the reconstitution of the Sugar Advisory Board without private sector representation to ensure transparency.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Tahira Aurangzeb, Kiran Haider, and Shaista Pervaiz in person, while Farhan Chishti and Asad Alam Niazi joined virtually. Senior officers from the Ministry of Commerce, Trade Organization, Trading Corporation of Pakistan, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, Department of Plant Protection, and representatives from the All Pakistan Timber Traders Association were also present.