Sugar Imports Skyrocket 7,900% Amid High-Level Graft Probe

New data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) revealed an unprecedented 7,906% surge in sugar imports during the first seven months of the current fiscal year. Between July 2025 and January 2026, the country spent over $17.46 million on foreign sugar, compared to just $211,800 during the same period last year. This spike contributed to a broader rise in the national food import bill, which has now crossed the $5.5 billion mark.

This import explosion coincides with a major crackdown by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The bureau has filed a formal reference in an accountability court against a private sugar mill and officials from the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP). The investigation centers on the misappropriation of 5,365 metric tons of sugar, which authorities allege was siphoned off through collusion, resulting in a Rs 960 million loss to the national exchequer. The case was elevated to a formal probe after initial findings by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The government is facing criticism for the heavy reliance on imports despite being an agrarian economy. Analysts suggest that the “artificial” domestic shortage, fueled by hoarding and the alleged TCP scam, forced the state to spend precious foreign exchange on basic commodities.

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