LHC extends stay against sugar price notification

While resuming hearing of Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) plea challenging the legality of sugar price notification, Lahore High Court Thursday extended restraining order against enforcement of the sugar price notification issued by the Sugar Advisory Board.
Appearing before a single-member of the Lahore High Court comprising Justice Shahid Karim on Thursday the PSMA counsel argued saying sugar price could not be fixed with the decision of the federal cabinet. He further said that after 18th Amendment, provinces have been mandated to take decisions over affairs related to the food sector.
The counsel contended that instead of an autonomous appellate forum, an appellate committee, comprising of two secretaries, is unlawful, adding in contravention to the court order, sugar price was fixed without consulting the mills.
He apprised the court that ex-mills rate of sugar was fixed 80 rupees per kilogram, while the market rate was fixed at 90 rupees. He alleged the sugar advisory board, while fixing the price, neither consulted nor heard the mills point of view,” lawyer told the court. He pleaded to the court to suspend the one-sided fixing of sugar price by the board.
During the course of hearing, Justice Shahid Karaim raised a question observing whether Fixing sugar price is a mandate of the federal government or provinces? Later, the bench issued notices to the federal government and other parties in the case. The Court also summoned the Attorney General for Pakistan and Advocate General Punjab for assistance in the matter and adjourned the hearing sine die.