Arguments sought in sugar mills case

LAHORE

The Lahore High Court on Tuesday sought more arguments on the point that if a ban on establishment of sugar mills was imposed in national interest, then why cultivation of sugarcane replaced the cotton crop in South Punjab — once known for cotton which is now being imported.  

Advocate Ali Sibtain Fazli, counsel of Haseeb Waqas and Chaudhry Sugar Mills, advanced his arguments against the ban on relocating cane crushing mills. He said under the policy made in 2015 to restrain relocating of sugar mills, the whole Punjab was considered as one unit where permission for shifting or relocating mills was not mandatory.

He said the government data showed that farming of sugarcane had increased in the area and it was not regulated, which he argued, could not be regulated under the law. The counsel argued the ban on shifting the mills was against the fundamental rights as enshrined by the Constitution. He presented reports of ministries concerned regarding the establishment of mills. It seemed as the ban was planned to damage the industry, he added.  

He was on his toe when the hearing was adjourned for tomorrow (Thursday). The bench, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, asked both sides to come up with more arguments on the point that how the ban imposed on shifting the sugar mills was in the national interest and if it was so then why South Punjab had cultivated sugarcane instead of other crops, especially cotton.

As the bench announced that the case was being adjourned for tomorrow (Thursday), a farmer appeared and started pleading that establishment of mills in the region had changed their lives and value of their lands. He along with other farmers said loudly that they were facing poverty and hunger but the mills had changed their lives. However, the CJ snubbed them to maintain the decorum of the court and observed that the court would decide the matter after hearing their counsels’ arguments.

On the previous hearing, judges of Rahimm Yar Khan, Bahawalpur and Multan submitted their reports before the court, saying that all three sugar mills owned by the Sharif family were not found violating the court order. The court earlier had asked them to seal Chaudhry Sugar Mills Ltd. Rahim Yar Khan, Ittefaq Sugar Mills Bahawalpur, and Haseeb Waqas Sugar Mills Muzaffargarh if they were functioning in violation of the apex court’s verdict.

On Feb 14, 2017, a division bench headed by the Chief Justice, had ordered three sessions judges to seal the sugar mills owned by the Sharif family if they were still functioning in violation of the Supreme Court’s order.

The Supreme Court had, on February 9, barred the mills from operating and remanded the case to the LHC for execution of the order on a petition moved by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf leader Jahangir Khan Tareen.

The petitioner had alleged that the Sharif family wanted to establish new mills under the garb of shifting their old mills which was illegal and banned under the relevant policy.  The court adjourned further hearing for Thursday.

challenged: The eligibility of PML-N MNA from NA-155, Lodhran, Abdul Rehman Kanju has been challenged before the Lahore High Court.

A voter of the constituency, Safdar Gillani, filed a petition contending that Kanju does not meet the criteria of a public office holder described under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution. He alleges that the MNA had obtained fake academic certificates and also filed nomination papers in a fake name. The petitioner claims Sardar Khan is the real name of the MNA.  He prayed to the court to declare Kanju ineligible and also order an inquiry against people involved in preparing fake documents for the respondent. Kanju, son of former state minister Siddique Kanju, was elected to the assembly as an independent candidate and later joined the PML-N.