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       ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a 12-member committee tasked with developing a robust system for monitoring and reporting sugar stocks to ensure timely export decisions.

       The committee, to be chaired by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, will include the minister for industries, the state minister for finance, the secretary of food security, representatives of the intelligence bureau, Pakistan Sugar Mills Association, the Director General, Land Information & Management, the FBR chairman, Sultan Ahmed Zafar, Dr Abid Qayum Sulehri, Dr Abedullah Anjum, Dr Behrawar Jaan, Deputy Director General Trade, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, and Ikram ul Haque.

       The Terms of Reference (ToRs) of the committee are to analyse all data sources related to sugar production, consumption and stocks; causes of variation in different data sources and underlying assumptions; responsibility for presenting inaccurate data on sugar consumption, stocks and surpluses during the preceding year, leading to delayed decisions on permissible export quantum.

       The committee will develop and present a foolproof mechanism for maintaining credible data for evidence-based public policy decision-making and suggest a medium-term framework for the sector, with possible development of the efficient market of the product, leading to positive outcomes for consumers, industry, economy and government.

       The committee will submit its report in two weeks.

       Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2024