KARACHI, Dec 3: The City District Government’s counsel told the Sindh High Court on Wednesday that the CDGK was the competent authority to fix meat prices according to law and a notification issued in this regard could not be set aside.
The written comments were filed before SHC’s division bench, comprising Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Zia Pervez, by EDO Enterprise and Investment Promotion of the CDGK on a petition filed by the Meat Merchants Welfare Association, challenging notification of meat prices.
He stated that the petitioner was not entitled to any relief as they were selling meat on higher prices. The petitioner had called off their strike on Nov 11 but its members, fleecing the public selling mutton at the rate of Rs180 to Rs200 and beef at Rs90 to Rs110 per kg in violation of a notification issued by the CDGK,” it submitted.
It was stated that the competent authority under price control and prevention of profiteering and hoarding Act 1977 lawfully issued a notification on Oct 24, for fixing price of meat being as essential commodity. He stated that the petition is liable to be dismissed as not maintainable.
Petitioner counsel’s K.A Wahab, however, sought time to file a rejoinder on comments by the city government. The court has fixed the matter for Dec 10.
MMWA through its general secretary Iqbal Ahmed Qureshi and others submitted that the association, consisting of 5,500 members deals in business of mutton and beef and contended that the impugned notification issued by the respondents regarding beef and mutton prices was unjust.
It stated meat is sold in markets by traders at their own price as government has not framed any policy to control price of slaughtering animals.
They stated that the petitioners were selling mutton and beef for the last six months at previous rates, but a notification was issued in which prices and mutton and beef were given as: beef quality No A1 Rs70 per kg, beef quality No1 Rs60 per kg, beef (boneless) Rs 90 per kg, calf quality No.1 Rs80 per kg, calf quality No.2 Rs75 per Kg, mutton special quality A-1 Rs.150 per kg, mutton quality No 2 Rs140 per kg, mutton No quality No 2 Rs120 per kg.
He submitted that prior to the notification, rates of mutton and beef in the market were: Quality No 1 beef Rs80 per kg, quality No 2 beef Rs70 per kg, calf quality No.1 Rs100 per Kg, calf quality No 2 Rs90 per kg, quality No 1 mutton Rs180 per kg, Quality No 2 mutton Rs170 per kg, Quality No 3 mutton Rs140 per Kg.
The CDGK neither has made proper arrangements for supply of animals nor steps were taken to regularize supply and prices of slaughtered animals. He stated in these circumstances, meat merchants are unable to carry on their business.
The court was prayed to declare the notification issued by the DCO on Oct 24 fixing prices of beef and mutton as unjust and restrain the respondents from enforcing the impugned notification and taking any coercive action against the petitioners.
