Dr. Hanif Mughal, Senior Vice President of Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW), on Thursday, said the powerful sugar mafia is depriving poor masses of billions of rupees by constantly increasing the commodity’s price. Inflation is increasing due to the increase in the price of sugar, and if the indiscriminate export and smuggling of sugar is not stopped, its price will reach two hundred rupees per kg, he said.

Dr. Hanif Mughal said in a statement issued here that the consumption of sugar in the country is five million tonnes, and an increase of one rupee per kg in its price increases the burden of five billion rupees on the public, which is transferred to the coffers of the sugar mafia.

He said that before the sugar export, many circles had expressed fear of its price hike, but the warnings were ignored to please the influential.

He said that the political interest and the acquisition of wealth are always more important than the people’s interest in the rulers.

Mughal said that the sugar available at 95 rupees a kg a few months ago is now available at 120 to 140 rupees in different parts of the country, and its price is set to increase.

In the months of February and March last year, not even a kg of sugar was exported. But this year, 172,180 tonnes have been exported in the same two months, and the process continued during April.

In the month of March, three times more sugar was exported than in February. While in April, May and June, the speed of exports will be increased to provide the benefit of billions to the sugar mafia at the cost of the masses, he lamented.

He said that orders of a crackdown against sugar smugglers, hoarders, and profiteers issued in the mid of this month was nothing but an eyewash.