LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has been moved for issuing an order for strict action against the mafia involved in the artificial crises and price hike of wheat and sugar in the light of reports of an inquiry committee formed by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Munir Ahmad, a lawyer, has made the request through a civil miscellaneous application filed with a pending writ petition.

The applicant sought the court’s directions for the authorities to bring the culprits to the book who, in pursuance of their vested interests and in connivance with government officials, caused the artificial crises of sugar and wheat.

He pleaded that the authorities be also ordered to recover the subsidies and benefits unduly awarded to the sugar and flour mills during the last 10 years to maintain the interest of justice, equity and fair play.

The applicant requested the court to seek details of the subsidies and advantages given to the sugar and flour industries and order the provincial government to launch a crackdown on market maneuvers well before the approaching fasting month of Ramazan.

FLIGHTS: A lawyer has filed a petition before the Lahore High Court, challenging the government’s decision to allow arrival of 21 special flights in the country from different foreign destinations despite the threat of the coronavirus.

Advocate Nabeel Javed Kahloon has submitted in his petition that the decision to allow international arrivals is dangerous for the country. He claims that at least 24 passengers of a flight recently arrived from Toronto have been tested positive for the Covid-19 whereas the captain and first officer of the flight had also been infected.

He argues the PIA ignored standard operating procedure set for the flight operation during the pandemic crisis in the world. He asks the court to immediately ban commercial flight operations in the country.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2020