LAHORE, June 16: The opposition in the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday demanded dismissal of Jehangir Tareen from the office of adviser to chief minister for being defaulter of sugar cess to the tune of over Rs22 million.

The opposition raised the issue when the house was told during question hour that Tareen's Jamaldinwali sugar mills in Rahim Yar Khan owed sugar cess. Food minister Chaudhry Iqbal denied that Mr Tareen was a defaulter. Citing a Punjab cabinet's decision of January 2002, he said the mills was paying the dues in instalments.

But as the minister, in a bid to emphasize that there was nothing wrong in delayed payment by Mr Tareen's mills, said he would personally request him clear all dues, deputy opposition leader Rana Sanaullah got a chance to further grill the industrialist-cum-agriculturist.

Rana Sana said the minister instead should request the chief minister to relieve Mr Tareen of his office besides assuring the house initiation of a legal action against the defaulter.

PPP's Rana Aftab asked the chair whether a defaulter could hold a public office. Chaudhry Iqbal said outstanding dues could not be recovered through coercion. Rana Sana questioned then why poor farmers were arrested for failing to pay small farm loans.

Interestingly, in a written reply to a question regarding increase in price of a bread (roti) from Rs2 to Rs3 the food minister denied the assertion. But while answering a supplementary question, he admitted that there were complaints of increase in roti price. Nevertheless, he said, action was being taken

Rana Sana questioned under what authority the food department had to take action against those involved in overcharging. Chaudhry Iqbal said the department could seal the flour mills found involved in overcharging while action against retailers was taken through the DCO and price control committees.