LAHORE, March 28: The Lahore High Court will decide the legality of the ban on allocation of wheat quotas to flour mills set up after Dec 12, 2000.

Over 100 writ petitions filed by flour mills are pending before the court and Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmad, senior member of the division bench hearing them, said they should be promptly disposed of, particularly because of the interim relief allowed to some of the petitioners.

Accepting Advocate-General Maqbul Ilahi Malik’s request for adjournment in view of the Supreme Court proceedings in the judges’ case in Islamabad, Justice Ahmad asked the petitioner mills whose cases are identical to those of the concerns already granted interim relief to meet the Food Department secretary in the meanwhile.

The secretary, the judge observed, shall pass a speaking order in accordance with the law on the petitioners’ pleas.

While affirming the government power to impose a ban on quotas in order to regulate an industry, the AG said there would probably be no need for quotas in view of the sizable wheat crop.