Federal govt to determine sugar price afresh, LHC told

LAHORE: The federal government Thursday undertook before the Lahore High Court (LHC) that sugar price would be determined afresh in accordance with the newly framed rules, and an appellate authority would also be notified to hear the grievances of the sugar mills.

Earlier, Deputy Attorney General Asad Ali Bajwa produced a copy of a notification/SRO-1062 issued on Aug 24, 2021 whereby the rules under the Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Act 1977 had been framed for fixation of price.

Justice Shahid Jamil Khan was hearing a set of petitions, filed by the sugar mills challenging a July-30 notification about fixing the ex-mill price of sugar at Rs84.50 and retail at Rs89.5 per kilogram.

The law officer stated that the notification issued on July 30 for fixation of sugar price was in accordance with the rules, but could not convince that the rules could be applied retrospectively. In the light of the undertaking by the law officer about the fixation of the price afresh, the judge adjourned the hearing till Sept 14.

The judge directed Additional Advocate General Jawad Yaqoob to ensure that consequent rules under the Punjab Foodstuff (Control) Act 1958 were also notified by the provincial government as well till the next hearing.

The counsel for the millers complained that the deputy registrar (judicial) of the LHC was not accepting post-dated cheques under the head of difference between the amounts charged and collected by them and the price fixed by the government.

The Supreme Court had directed the millers to deposit the difference of the two amounts with the LHC till final decision of the petitions by the latter. Such amounts would be made voluntarily but would be subject to replenishment forthwith to the correct amount notified to the erring sugar mills by the cane commissioner.

Justice Khan directed the deputy registrar (judicial) to accept the post-dated cheques in light of the apex court’s direction.