LAHORE: As PTI Senator Barrister Ali Zafar who has been tasked by Prime Minister Imran Khan with overseeing the sugar scam probe has yet to complete the analysis of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) investigation, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid says he (Zafar) should submit the report to the premier forthwith to bring forth the facts.

“Since both PM Khan and Jahangir Tareen group have reposed confidence in Barrister Zafar, he should have submitted the sugar scam report to the premier by now so that the facts come forth,” Mr Rashid told reporters after taking briefing from the FIA Lahore on several issues on Thursday.

The interior minister did not take briefing on the high-profile sugar scam in which the FIA has booked Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s estranged leader Jahangir Khan Tareen, his son Ali Tareen, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz under money-laundering and fraud charges.

“(Adviser to the premier on accountability) Shahzad Akbar is looking into the sugar scam so I did not take briefing from the FIA on it,” the minister said.

Interestingly, on the Tareen group’s insistence, the premier had separated Akbar from this case.

Mr Rashid said the Tareen group was unnecessarily involving Shahzad Akbar and Azam Khan in this case.

He said the FIA performance was “unsatisfactory”. “I am not satisfied with the performance of the FIA as there are a lot of complaints against it especially cybercrime wing both here and in Islamabad,” he said and added that the ‘blue-eyed’ officials could not spend much time on one station as a rotation policy would have to be followed.

On the other hand, Barrister Zafar held meetings with Tareen’s legal team and the FIA officials to have their views on the investigation conducted so far into the matter.

“I am confident that the analysis of the FIA investigations into the FIRs against Jahangir Tareen would be complete within the shortest possible time. The final report will be submitted to the premier this month,” Senator Zafar had told Dawn.

On Thursday Zafar said in a tweet: “It has come to my notice that certain news are doing rounds of submission of report regarding JKT. This is incorrect & based on some misinformation. I have not submitted any final report so far.”

The prime minister last month had formed a one-man committee comprising his confidant, Senator Zafar, to ascertain whether the concerns that some persons holding key positions in the government and the PTI were politically victimising Mr Tareen, were genuine. The decision to form the committee was made after PM Khan met 30 lawmakers of his party backing Mr Tareen’s stance that he was being victimised.

On the pro-Tareen group’s demand, the government had also changed FIA Lahore Director Mohammad Rizwan who was heading the sugar scam probe.

Mr Tareen had demanded formation of a new team that should be “free of the influence” of prime minister’s adviser Shahzad Akbar.

Rashid’s advice to Buzdar

Sheikh Rashid has advised Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to placate the concerns of the Tareen group.

“I met Buzdar today and asked him to listen to the concerns of the Tareen group. Issues crop up in the parties but it doesn’t mean Tareen group is going anywhere. It will vote for the government in the budget,” he said.

Earlier, Jahangir Tareen had accused the Buzdar administration of using vindictive tactics against those lawmakers supporting him (Tareen).

Rashid also said that Hudaibiya Paper Mills case against the Sharif family would be reopened in two to three weeks.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2021