Jahangir Tareen lands in Lahore after seven-month hiatus in UK

Jahangir Tareen – the beleaguered PTI leader who has been nominated in the sugar scam by official reports – returned to Pakistan on Friday morning, amid speculations that a patch-up with Prime Minister Imran Khan resulted in the move, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Tareen landed at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore through an Emirates flight via Dubai after he left London on Thursday.

He had left Pakistan and spent seven months in London after developing differences with Imran Khan which was followed by the sugar inquiry commission report.

Talking to journalists at the airport, the PTI leader said that he went abroad for medical treatment. He maintained that it was not necessary to respond to every allegation hurled by the opposition.

Jahangir Tareen said that his business was fair and transparent, adding that he has never been involved in any wrongdoing.

Taking to Twitter after arrival in Lahore, he said: “Let me state for the record that JDW is NOT part of the petition against GOP notification to start sugar mills on 10th Nov.”

Let me state for the record that JDW is NOT part of the petition against GOPb notification to start sugar Mills on 10th Nov. All of my mills, including those in Sind will start crushing on 10th. Will play my part in helping the Govt overcome the sugar shortage and price hike

— Jahangir Khan Tareen (@JahangirKTareen) November 6, 2020

He said all of his mills, including those in Sindh, will start cane crushing on November 10 and vowed to play his part in helping the government overcome the sugar shortage and price hike.

Jahangir Tareen’s return has sparked concerns as well as speculations among government circles that he came back at a time when Opposition lawmakers are weighing options to change loyalties ahead of the Senate elections in March.

A former general secretary of the ruling party and previously the most trusted aide of Imran Khan has been under fire for his role in the sugar scam that has propelled the per kilogramme retail price of the commodity to over Rs110 from the previous level of Rs53.

But Tareen denied any wrongdoing and blamed a group for hounding him. He also claimed that his family members were also under surveillance during the investigation process.

In a report, the Competition Commission of Pakistan had said the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association was prima facie a cartel that manipulated the recent price hike with active coordination of a senior officer of JDW Sugar Mills Group, owned by Jahangir Khan Tareen.

It also that alleged the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association was involved in illegal activities and had influenced the government to allow export of 1.1 million tons of sugar which triggered the crisis.