A division bench of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday adjourned hearing of an intra court appeal filed by the Sugar Mills Association against a single bench decision regarding import of Indian sugar with date in office. The Association challenged the decision of the single bench on the ground that a member of the bench did not sit in the bench.
The bench gave the decision in favour of petitioner Swevra Traders and allowed the release of Indian sugar from Railways Godowns and found that the sugar in question was not hazard to the public health.
Earlier, petitioner Swevra Traders had imported 2,272 metric tonnes Indian sugar and argued that this sugar was being consumed in India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and other countries, adding that in the past sugar had also been imported from the different countries but was never subjected to sampling.
The petitioner also argued that it has no objection over sampling and testing of sugar but delay on the part of the custom officials is causing monetary loss, as it has to pay Rs 68,000 per day Railway Godown charges and interest payable to bank at rate of Rs 15,000 per day. After examining the report of PCSIR laboratories and hearing the counsels at length, the court had allowed the petition and ordered release of the sugar.