Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar announced that the government has established the ex-factory sugar price at 154 to 159 rupees per kilogram, while the retail price for customers will be 164 rupees per kilogram for the upcoming month.

During a meeting over sugar pricing in Islamabad, the Deputy Prime Minister said that the government has established a sub-committee, chaired by Federal Minister Rana Tanvir Hussain, to address the issue within one month.

He stated that the Committee will engage all stakeholders to deliberate on the execution of a two-tier pricing scheme, wherein consumer sugar prices will be reduced while industry costs will be somewhat elevated.

Ishaq Dar said that the committee will also propose an implementation mechanism for the system, as the government aims to provide sugar to the public at affordable rates.

He observed that grievances have been reported regarding the escalation of sugar prices to 178 rupees per kilogram in recent days, which is intolerable.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has acknowledged the sugar mafia, prompting the federal investigation agency to request data on 11 individuals from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to initiate action against them.

Anti Corruption circle of FIA was activated in the wake of notice by prime minister for illegal purchase and sale of sugar which includes businessmen and mill owners.

The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) has released a robust statement concerning the latest National Security Committee (NSC) meeting, underscoring the necessity for self-accountability instead of attributing fault to others.

The party asserted that Pakistan is a blessing, and failure to express gratitude has led to fear and hunger. JUI-F asked authorities to rigorously reassess their viewpoint on national issues and rectify internal inconsistencies.

JUI-F emphasized the discrepancies in state policy, questioning why Pakistan implemented divergent strategies throughout the Afghan war—one against the Soviet Union and another for the United States. The party also criticized Pakistan’s approach towards its neighbors, pointing out that while dialogue is encouraged with other countries, a contradictory policy is applied to Afghanistan.
JUI-F denounced the coercive amalgamation of FATA without engaging the local populace, asserting that the repercussions are currently being experienced.

The party expressed apprehensions regarding religious prejudices in the execution of the National Action Plan (NAP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. It inquired why religious professors, madrassas, and pro-constitutional religious organizations were being singled out.

The JUI-F accused the authorities of intentionally inciting conflict between religious organizations and the state, while also condemning the efficacy of ongoing military operations, asserting that terrorism has escalated rather than diminished despite numerous offensives.

The party further denounced the displacement of civilians due to operations, highlighting that people lost their homes and villages, and even the promised financial aid for reconstruction never materialized.

JUI-F attributed blame to the establishment for transferring accountability among various regimes, contending that this did not suffice to exonerate them from their historical errors.

The party emphasized that an authentic national vision must include both political and economic factors, rather than relying on a unilateral agenda imposed through selective endorsement.