Sugar price controversy: Supreme Court to take up petitions against LHC order today

The Supreme Court will take up the case pertaining to the on-going sugar prices controversy on Wednesday as Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PMSA) is not ready to act on the decision of Lahore High Court (LHC) fixing sugar price at Rs 40 per kg. It is learnt that the court had issued notices to the respondents in the petitions filed by PSMA and Punjab Sugar Dealers Association (PSDA).
Earlier, on September 9, PSDA had filed the petition against the LHC verdict and had questioned its 'suo motu' authority to fix the price of sugar. Three days later, the PSMA filed a similar petition and shifted the burden to federal government and Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) for the sugar crisis.
Filed under Article 185 (3) of the constitution for leave to appeal against LHC September 3 order, the petitions of PSMA and PSDA have nominated Federal Government, Ministry of Industries and Production, Ministry of Commerce, Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP), Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Government of Punjab and Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) as respondents.
On September 3, the LHC had directed Punjab government to "ensure sale of sugar at Rs 40 per kg, without distinction, in the open market, and not only in Sunday Bazaars, Ramazan Bazaars or the Utility Stores under the guard of the police." The LHC order said: "Punjab government is at liberty to recover sugar from all places wherever it is stocked after making payment at the rate of Rs 36 per kg to the stockists. The difference of Rs 4 (per kg) will be to meet the expenses for transportation and profit of the stockists as well as the retailers."