PTI leader Jehangir Tareen withdraws offer to provide sugar at cheaper rates: report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Jehangir Tareen has withdrawn his offer to provide 20,000 tonnes of sugar to the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) at cheaper rates, reported The News on Wednesday.

The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association had last month decided to provide 100,000 tonnes of sugar to the Utility Stores Corporation at the rate of Rs70 per kg. 

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Tareen, one of the biggest sugar barons in the country, in an interview, had announced that he would provide 20,000 tonnes of sugar to the USC at Rs67 per kg.

However, the PTI leader has now withdrawn his offer. The JDW Sugar Mills apprised the USC chairman of its decision through a letter. It said though the offer was made in good faith, certain elements in the media were casting it in a bad light. 

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The JDW Sugar Mills is still willing to provide sugar on cheaper rates on cash payment through an open tender, the letter added. 

The government has been in recent weeks facing serious allegations of corruption and malpractices in the wake of sugar, flour and ghee crisis in the country that caused record inflation at the start of the year. 

During the crisis, government legislators were advising the people to give up eating sugar and reduce consumption of bread since avoidance of the both would be good for health.

Originally published in The News