LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday extended no relief to Chaudhry Sugar Mills, owned by the Sharif family, and directed it to file a representation before the commerce and trade ministry on the issue of non-provision of subsidy on sugar export.

The mills’ counsel contended in the petition that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) had not provided the freight support subsidy to the petitioner on the export of sugar in 2017.

Advocate Riaz Awan, the mills’ counsel, said his client could not start crushing of sugarcane due to non-provision of the subsidy, which amounted to over Rs80 million.

He asked the court to order the SBP to release the withheld subsidy the petitioner was legally entitled to.

SBP’s counsel Rehan Nawaz argued that the petition was not maintainable before the high court as it involved inquiry of facts relating to the past period. He pointed out that the sugar mills, to become eligible for the subsidy, were supposed to start crushing season by Nov 30, 2017, which the petitioner had not done.

After hearing both sides, Justice Ayesha A Malik observed that the petitioner needed to file a representation before the SBP for the redressal of its grievance.

However, Advocate Nawaz said the central bank had a role of post office in the matter and the representation should be filed before the commerce ministry.

At this, the judge disposed of the petition and directed the mills to file its representation before the ministry.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2021