ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court was informed on Friday by Finance Secretary Salman Saddique that a meeting of the sugar board comprising different ministries and all stakeholders would be held soon to devise a measure to avert the crisis in future.

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja and Justice Ghulam Rabbani, took up identical appeals of the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association and the Punjab Sugar Association against the Lahore High Court verdict requiring the sale of sugar at Rs40 per kg.

The sugar board has been constituted by the government to identify and address problems facing the sugar industry.

The minister for production is chairman of the board and its members are the secretary of production, sugarcane commissioner, representatives of the PSMA, Kissan Board and farmers’ association, sugarcane growers and technologists.

Acting Attorney General Shah Khawar sought some time, saying Prime Minster Yousuf Raza Gilani had also called a meeting to chalk out a long-term strategy to cope with the crisis.

The court accepted the request and allowed the government six days to come up with a comprehensive mechanism ensuring availability of the sweetener at Rs40 per kg.

‘Domestic consumers should not only get sugar at cheaper rates, but its availability should also be ensured so that buyers could get sugar with ease and dignity in every nook and corner of the country. Failing to devise the strategy would entail a decision by the court on merits of the case,’ the court warned.

The court said it was only concerned that relief should be provided to people. ‘We wanted to draw a line between industrial consumers and the general public,’ the chief justice observed and expressed the hope that the government would define a comprehensive policy keeping domestic consumers and growers in view.

The hearing was adjourned till Oct 29.

Senior counsel Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, appearing as amicus curiae (friend of the court), said the crisis still existed and after the LHC order sugar stocks had been frozen. He sought lifting of a ban on the inter-provincial movement of sugar.