Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Junaid Akbar Khan has alleged that the sugar mafia operates with impunity, benefiting from every government regardless of party affiliations.

Speaking on Aaj News’ programme “News Insight with Aamir Zia”, Akbar claimed that the sugar crisis resurfaces every few months, with key figures in every political party having ties to the sugar mafia.

He further alleged that sugar exports are often only on paper, allowing mafias to profit at multiple stages, including by reimporting the same stock under pretenses.

He pointed out that while farmers struggle to get fair prices, the sugar mills continue to make massive profits.

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He also accused mill owners of securing huge loans from banks and defaulting without repercussions.

According to Akbar, the sugar mafia is so powerful that it always remains in control, whether in government or opposition. He said it blackmails governments and wields immense influence.

He also highlighted severe financial irregularities, revealing that over 36,000 audit paras have been pending for 14 years, with discrepancies amounting to Rs. 18 trillion. He claimed that recovering even ten percent of these funds would exceed Pakistan’s entire national budget.

Discussing the opposition’s protest strategy after Eid, Akbar stated that PTI has no faith in the judiciary and sees protests as the only viable option.

He said the party is fully prepared and intends to bring other opposition parties on board, though he insisted that their participation is a preference rather than a necessity.

Acknowledging the mistakes made in PTI’s October and November protests, he said the party aims to correct them this time.

Akbar revealed that several options are under consideration, including a march on Islamabad, blocking key roads in the capital, and organising district-level protests.

He also mentioned the possibility of setting up a protest camp outside Adiala Jail and cutting off highways leading from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He emphasised that the new protest strategy would be more effective than previous ones and that PTI remains patient, gaining public sympathy and political traction in the process.

On the question of alliances, Akbar expressed confidence that Maulana Fazlur Rehman might join the protests.

However, he maintained that if the JUI-F leader decided against it, PTI would proceed regardless. He suggested that PTI leadership, including Ali Amin Gandapur, is ready to cooperate in planning the protests.

Warning of the growing frustration among PTI workers, he said that if the leadership fails to act, supporters might take to the streets on their own. He warned that if that happened, the state would not even have time to issue condemnations.

Commenting on the political situation, Akbar remarked that the current parliament survives on the establishment’s support. He asserted that if that backing is withdrawn, the government will collapse.