LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday restrained the provincial and district governments from taking any coercive measures against the millers for the implementation of official sugar price.

Justice Sajid Mahmood Sethi issued the order on the petitions of different sugar mills challenging the government’s action of forcibly lifting the sweetener from their warehouses.

A counsel for the mills told the court the government lifted over 1,288 metric tons of sugar from their warehouses, while some of the mills were also sealed.

He pointed out that the matter of price fixation was still pending with the appellate committee of the food ministry on court’s directions.

However, he said, the deputy commissioner (DC) issued orders for the seizure of sugar stock despite the pendency of the matter.

He argued that the DC’s act was a sheer illegality and also amounted to contempt of court. The counsel asked the court to set aside the impugned action for being illegal.

After hearing the arguments, Justice Sethi restrained the government from taking any coercive measures against the mills and sought a reply by Sept 29.

The judge directed a law officer to convey the court’s order to the government and submit a report on the next hearing.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2021