KARACHI, March 30: Sindh High Court on Friday directed District Officer Price Control (E&IP), City District Government Karachi to fix an interim price of fresh milk within seven days for a period until fair and justified price of fresh milk is finalised.

SHC’s division bench, comprising Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany and Justice Ali Sain Dino Metlo, was hearing the application filed by All-Karachi Milk Retailers’ Welfare Association regarding fixation of fresh milk price.

Filing the application, applicant’s counsel Khursheed Javed submitted that neither farmers nor wholesalers were ready to sell fresh milk at a price below the cost incurred. He said that still there was no proper notification regarding fixation of fresh milk price issued from the federal or provincial government. He also questioned challan, imposition of fine and imprisonment of retailers by the city government and prayed the court to restrain it from penalizing sellers.

SHC on March 6, 2007, had adjourned the petition for two months and directed officials concerned of the city government to convene a meeting with all stakeholders to decide ‘fair and justified price of milk.’

The Association challenged action of the city government on fixing fresh milk price at Rs28 per litre and taking action against milk-sellers. It submitted that the price of Rs28 per litre was ‘arbitrary and capricious.’

It prayed to declare fixing milk sale price by the city government as discriminatory, in violation of the Constitution, adding that all criminal prosecutions initiated and penalties imposed by respondent to be voided and quashed.—PPI