NP newsroom
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Thursday stopped the Pakistani government from taking action on the sugar inquiry commission report, also issuing directives for the product to be sold at the rate of Rs70/kg for the next 10 days.
The 10-day stay order was issued by Chief Justice Athar Minallah hearing a petition by sugar millers – including the ruling Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf’s annoyed leader Jehanfir Tareen ‑‑ against the sugar inquiry commission report.
The IHC chief justice asked for details of what the commission had said about the rising sugar prices.
Salman Akram Raja, an attorney at the hearing representing a sugar mill owner, stated that the commission did not separate the use of sugar for the public and commercial purposes in its investigation.
Justice Minallah remarked that the price increased to Rs 85/kg in two years. He asked the federal government if it had any objections to the court’s decision, to which the additional attorney general replied by saying that the federal government will not oppose the court’s order.
The Islamabad High Court issued notice to the federal government, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Shehzad Akbar and FIA Director General Wajid Zia. The Interior Secretary and members of the inquiry commission are also on notice from the court.
Pakistan Sugar Mills Association and 17 other mill owners — including PTI leader Jahangir Tareen — had challenged the Sugar Inquiry Commission’s report in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday, saying legal formalities were not fulfilled during the investigations conducted by the commission.
