Supreme Court sends sugar price case back to LHC for decision in 15 days

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan sent back the sugar price case back to the Lahore High Court to decide the matter within 15 days, ARY News reported on Thursday.

A bench of the apex court headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, also granted conditional permission to the mills to sell sugar at fixed ex-mill rate.

The federal government had filed an appeal in supreme court on Tuesday against the high court’s August 3 verdict regarding sugar price.

The court also ordered that the sugar mills should voluntarily deposit the difference amount between the government’s fixed price and rate of the sugar mills in the high court till settlement of the issue.

Earlier additional attorney general informed the court that the government has fixed ex-mill rate of sugar at Rs 84 per KG, while the mills price is 97 rupees.

“Sugar mills depositing only surety bonds is not sufficient,” the court said.

The court also directed the cane commissioner to compile the record of sugar stock and sale.

The court also ruled that the high court issued an exparte stay order against the government’s fixed price of the commodity. “It is not the responsibility of the court to fix price or determine profit and loss. The court has only to decide the legal point of the matter.”

“The high court’s intervention is entering in unconcerned jurisdiction,” the court further remarked.

The government had in its appeal pleaded to the apex court to set aside the high court’s verdict.

The appeal said that the government fixed sugar price under the Price Control and Prevention of profiteering and Hoarding Act, 1977 and that the LHC doesn’t have the authority to fix price of the commodity.