LHC stays action against sugar millers, maintains pleas against price fixing

LAHORE: Hearing the challenge on sugar millers petitioning against fixing sugar prices in the province, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has on Wednesday released its verdict deeming all the petitions against maintainable, ARY News reported.

The court has stayed the government from carrying out measures against the millers and has directed the cane commissioner to compile the record on sugar supply.

LHC’s verdict now combines all the petitions with the original case and directed officials to build a consensus on prices as the petitioners’ counsel said it was impossible for the millers to sell sugar at government fixed Rs89.5. He added that there side was not taken into account as the government announced fixed sugar price.

Earlier this week, the LHC bench reserved verdict over sugar mills petition challenging the government’s notification to fix the sugar price after hearing arguments.

LHC reserves verdict over government’s sugar price notification

A high court bench comprising Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza also reserved decision over a petition of to restrain the government from any action against sugar mills owners.

Earlier, federal government’s counsel Asad Bajwa told the court that the mills have been put on notice over the matter.

The mill owners in their petition pleaded that their stocks will be taken and it will affect the supply. “We want appointment of an auditor to conduct audit,” counsel of the petitioner said.

“The court’s order being violated, which had ruled fixation of the price with agreement after hearing the stance of the owners,” the counsel said. “Our point of view was not given heed despite the court orders,” the counsel of mill owners said.

The high court had in an earlier hearing restrained the Punjab government from implementing a notification about fixing the ex-mill and retail price of sugar.

“Have you take stakeholders onboard over the price,” the bench asked the official of provincial ministry of industries, present in the court.