A heated session of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) took place as members sharply criticized the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for granting tax exemptions on sugar imports while consistently denying financial relief to the general public under the pretext of IMF constraints.

PAC Chairman Junaid Akbar lambasted the FBR, stating,

“Whenever it comes to offering relief to the public, you raise your hands and blame the IMF. So how did you manage to convince the IMF when it came to facilitating the sugar mafia?”

In response to the pointed questions, the FBR Chairman defended the move, saying,

“The decision to exempt taxes on sugar imports was made at the cabinet level. We followed the directives given to us.”

Committee Chairman Junaid Akbar also raised concerns, calling the tax exemption a clear injustice:

“Is it not tyranny to exempt sugar import taxes while common citizens face inflation without relief?”

Rashid Mahmood Langrial, a senior official present, acknowledged the challenges ahead:

“Our current dilemma is how to justify this to the IMF. They will definitely question the rationale behind this exemption.”

The exchange underscores growing frustrations within parliamentary bodies over fiscal decisions perceived as favoring vested interests while the masses continue to suffer under economic strain.