The authorities have suspended an additional director-ranked officer of the Sugar Inquiry Commission for being allegedly involved in leaking sugar inquiry commission report, reported a private TV channel on Wednesday.

The said officer, Sajjad Bajwa, has also been found misleading the authorities in connection with the ongoing inquiry against the high-profile sugar crisis that had gripped the country for the last few months.

He is accused of leaking the official report to Khusru Bakhtiar, Chaudhry Brothers and other sugar mill owners.

His involvement was suspected following the submission of initial reports submitted by various officers, in which his report was found radically different from that of the others.

The authorities have now suspended Sajjad Bajwa, and a notification to this effect has been sent to him.

The FIA has informed Prime Minister Imran Khan of the development.

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Imran Khan had earlier said that the government will take strict action against those involved in wheat and sugar scandals after release of commission report on April 25.

On April 6, in a major cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Imran Khan named Khusro Bakhtiar as the Economic Affairs Minister. PTI leader Syed Fakhar Imam has been appointed as Federal Minister of National Food Security and Research.

The reshuffle was made in light of findings of the inquiry report related to wheat and sugar scandal. Bakhtiar has replaced Hammad Azhar, who is now Federal Minister for Industries. The PM also removed Advisor for Commerce, Industry and Investment Abdul Razzak Dawood from his portfoilo and as Chairman of Sugar Advisory Board.

Meanwhile, Food Secretary Hashim Popalzai was also sacked from his post.

PM Imran made changes in the cabinet after the findings of an inquiry report by Federal Investigation Agency in wheat and sugar scandal were made public days ago.  The report had named Khusro Bakhtiar as beneficiary in the scam while he was serving as the head of National Food Security Ministry.

Similarly, Punjab Food Minister Samiullah Chaudhry resigned from his post for his alleged involvement in the wheat and sugar scam while Jahangir Tareen was also sacked from the chairmanship of Agriculture Task Force.

Tareen, who is considered as the most senior PTI member and close aide to PM Imran Khan, has been sacked after the Federal Investigation Agency initiated investigations against him for his involvement and being a beneficiary in the wheat scandal.

Besides, taking action on the wheat and sugar crisis report, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar demoted Dera Ghazi Khan Commissioner Naseem Sadiq to Officer on Special Duty (OSD). Sadiq had served as Punjab food secretary in 2019.

The prime minister had constituted two high-powered committees under Director General Federal Investigation Agency and comprising a senior officer of Intelligence Bureau and DG Anti-Corruption Establishment Punjab to investigate the causes behind the crises and price hike of the said commodities.

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