Jahangir Khan Tareen, a close aide of Prime Minister Imran Khan, was removed on Monday from the post of chairmanship of a task force on agriculture after Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) report was made public which found Jahangeer Tareen as a major beneficiary among others in sugar crisis.
Mr. Jahangir Khan Tareen has been removed as Chair of Task Force on Agriculture in light of findings of Sugar and Wheat Inquiry Report. Any further action may be taken after final findings of the Inquiry Committee
— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) April 6, 2020
“Jahangir Khan Tareen has been removed as chair of the task force on agriculture in light of findings of sugar and wheat inquiry report,” PTI spokesperson Shahbaz Gill confirmed on his Twitter account.
Without elaborating any further, Gill also hinted at taking further action against those found guilty for the wheat and sugar crisis.
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However, in response to Gill’s tweet, Jahangeer Khan Tareen tweeted abruptly saying that he had never been chairman of any Agriculture Task Force during PTI government. He also said that no such official notifications exist that confirm his chairmanship of the task force.
In his tweet, he responded,” Hello hello, News bring reported that I have been “removed” as C’man Agri Task Force ….I was never chairman of any task force. Can anyone show me a notification with me as C’man? Please get your facts, right people.”
Hello hello, News bring reported that I have been “removed” as C’man Agri Task Force ….I was never chairman of any task force . Can anyone show me a notification with me as C’man ??
Pl get your facts right people— Jahangir Khan Tareen (@JahangirKTareen) April 6, 2020
Aftermath, Jahangeer Khan Tareen also said that he was being vindicated politically by the principal secretary of prime minister Imran Khan, Azam Khan Swati. However, while talking to a TV program, Shehbaz Gill negated the impression and said Azam Swati was not involved in making or influencing and manoeuvring the report.
FIA report on sugar crisis
The development comes a day after Prime Minister Khan pledged not to spare those found guilty of creating and profiting off the sugar and wheat crises, once he receives the detailed forensic report of FIA-led commission’s preliminary findings on April 25.
The FIA in its 32-page report last week termed the PTI government’s decision to allow the export of sugar unjustified as it had caused a 30 per cent increase in its price.
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The committee report led by Wajid Zia had revealed that Tareen, who is considered political kingmaker of PTI, Federal Minister for National Food Security Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar and his brother were among the main beneficiaries. They availed Rs 1.03 billion subsidies on the export of sugar, paid out from the taxpayers’ money, which was equal to 41 per cent of the total subsidy the Punjab government paid to sugar barons.