ISLAMABAD, July 30 -- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken an unusually bold step by confronting Pakistan's powerful sugar lobby through strict tax enforcement. This move, though welcomed by many as long-overdue, has triggered a sharp rise in sugar prices nationwide - revealing a deeper power struggle between the state and entrenched market forces.

Despite his own family's historical ties to the sugar industry, PM Shehbaz has adopted a public and defiant stance against what is often referred to as the "sugar mafia." According to sources, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has made record gains in documenting sugar sales and collecting taxes, increasing documented sales from Rs 107 billion to Rs 152 billion within a year - a 41% jump. ...