Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday directed the Karachi Commissioner to issue a notification of fixed prices of dairy products within 10 days A two-member bench, headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, heard the petition filed by Muhammad Imran Shehzad, a civil rights campaigner, who sought reduction of rates of dairy products and formation of a taskforce to regulate their prices.
In Tuesday's hearing, the Commissioner informed the judges that after several meetings of the administration with all stakeholders including dairy farmers and retailers for price fixation, they had decided to sell milk at Rs 95 per litre. He said retailers subsequently refused to accept that price because they wanted to sell milk at much higher prices.
Justice Abbasi asked if it was possible that dairy farmers directly provide milk to consumers as everybody wants maximum profit. Then, he asked all stakeholders to make reasonable profit to provide relief to common man The lawyer representing the retailers requested the court to increase their profit margin by decreasing the same of wholesalers.
They prayed to the court to set milk price at Rs 98 per litre. Directing the Karachi Commissioner to issue fresh notification of dairy products' prices within days, the court put off the hearing. Earlier, the petitioner had informed the court that authorities concerned were unable to ensure milk sale at administration's fixed prices. He said dairy products were not being sold under Price Control and Prevention Profiteering and Hoarding Act, 1977.
According to the petitioner, the SHC in August 2016 directed the authorities concerned to form a mechanism to control and maintain the prices of dairy product; however, the milk prices were soared in violation of court's earlier order. The court was requested by the petitioner to direct the law enforcement agencies, including Rangers and police, to ensure the sale of milk at reasonable prices.
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