Petition against hike in milk price: SHC issues notices to Sindh government, CDGK, dairy farmers

Sindh High Court on Friday issued notices to Sindh Chief Secretary, District Co-ordination Officer Karachi and Presidents Karachi Dairy Farm Owners Association and President of Nagori Dairy Farms Association in a petition challenging the recent hike in retail price of fresh milk by dairy farmers.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, also issued notices to Advocate General Sindh and CDGK Principal Law Officer Manzoor Ahmed for a date in office. United Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has moved to the court against the fresh increase in milk price making Sindh Chief Secretary, District Co-ordination Officer Karachi, President Karachi Dairy Farm Owners Association and President Nagori Dairy Farms Association as respondents.
Petitioner Rana Faizul Hassan of UHRCP submitted that the respondent dairy famer s associations in collusion with official authorities had arbitrarily increased per liter retail price of fresh milk by Rs 10 to Rs 12 in three months. Now, fresh milk was being sold at Rs 70 per liter, he added.
He contended that the vigilance system had already collapsed since Sindh government withdrew special magisterial powers earlier conferred on Deputy District Officers of City District Government Karachi to monitor and check illegal price hick and hoarding. He prayed to direct Sindh government to make legislation to protect rights of consumers and curb unlawful hoarding and profiteering and direct respondents to take back decision of hike in milk price. The court after preliminary hearing issued notice to respondents.