KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday directed the Karachi commissioner to file comments on a petition against the sale of fresh milk at exorbitant prices till May 7.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar also asked the authorities concerned as to why the officially notified rates of milk had not been implemented and what actions were being taken to enforce it.

A petition was filed against the provincial and local administration as well as the Sindh Food Authority for not ensuring the sale of milk at officially notified prices.

The petitioner submitted that the official price of per litre fresh milk was fixed at Rs94 in the provincial metropolis, but it was being sold at around Rs140 per litre in different parts of the city in violation of the notified rates and court orders.

The court sets aside capital punishment handed down to a man in a murder case

The bench also questioned the quality of milk being sold in the city and asked a representative of milk sellers’ association that how could they fix the price on their own.

The representative submitted that it was not possible for the milk sellers to sell milk at official rates since the Karachi commissioner had not revised the prices for the last three years.

When the bench asked whether the food authority was taking any action in this regard, its officials submitted that they would conduct raids if the court directed them to do so.

The bench expressed resentment over the reply and said that why they were waiting for the court’s orders when the food authority itself was authorised under the law to take action.

However, they claimed that action was taken against milk sellers for violation of official rates.

An assistant advocate general also submitted that the quality of milk being sold in the city was poor.

The lawyer for the petitioner sought directives for the commissioner office, food authority and other respondents to ensure that milk was sold at the notified price and to take action against profiteers.

Appeal against death sentence allowed

Another division bench of the SHC on Wednesday set aside the death sentence handed down to a man by a trial court in a murder case.

A sessions court had sentenced Adnan Abbasi alias Irfan Qureshi to death in October 2019 for killing Mohammad Rizwan in January 2017 within the remit of the Sharea Faisal police station.

The appellant challenged his conviction before the SHC and after hearing arguments from both sides and examining the record and proceedings of the case, the two-judge appellate bench headed by Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha allowed the appeal and set aside the verdict of the trial court.

The bench in its judgement ruled that the appellant’s judicial confession was not made voluntarily and there was no corroborative evidence to connect him with the offence. It further observed that the crime weapon was not recovered from the appellant.

The court ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

It directed jail authorities to release him if not wanted in any other case.

According to the prosecution, complainant Nazimuddin said that his son, Rizwan, had contracted civil marriage with Neha Gul Naz, who had three children from her first husband and one child from victim Rizwan.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2021