ISLAMABAD, July 8: The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICC) has asked the government to allow duty-free import of sugar from the neighbouring countries including India to bring down the price of the commodity. The ICCI president, Tariq Sadiq, in a statement issued on Friday said the import of sugar from the neighbouring countries was necessary, as the Monopoly Control Authority (MCA) had completely failed to control the price of sugar.

He said the owners of the sugar mills had unilaterally increased the prices of the commodity that had put additional economic burden on the consumers. He said sugar was available at Rs30 per kg in the open market.

He said Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had announced that sugar would be sold at Rs23 per kilogramme at the utility stores but despite providing huge subsidy, its prices could not be controlled.

Mr Sadiq said availability of sugar at the utility stores at cheaper rates was of no use, as only 1 per cent of the total population could benefit from it. He said the wholesale rate of sugar was Rs2,700 per 100 kg but today it had gone up to Rs2,900 per 100 kg. He said the retail prices of sugar had been increased without any valid justification because of negligence of the MCA.