Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) has allowed the government to take action against the sugar mills. SC heard an appeal filed by the federal government in which the Government requested to quash the decision of the Sindh High Court (SHC) in Tuesday’s hearing.
The SHC had barred the federal government and other agencies from implementing the report of the Sugar Inquiry Commission.
The court issued a stay order on the implementation of the restraining order of the SHC. It also ordered the government and institutions to act in accordance with the law and directed them not to take unnecessary action against the owners of sugar mills. The Sindh and Islamabad High Courts have also ordered to decide on the petitions of sugar mills within three weeks.

In today’s hearing the court also barred government officials from commenting on the Sugar Commission report. Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed remarked that rhetoric is a political issue and cannot interfere much. The attorney general told the court that this was the first commission in which two chief ministers appeared. The Prime Minister’s closest ally also had to appear before the commission.

Justice Ijaz-Ul-Ahsan said that there should be transparent work so that those involved could reach the point of punishment. We will not leave the public interest behind in technical matters. Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmad remarked that how can the government be stopped from working?

Case background:

It’s noteworthy, that the government had made public the investigation report of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on the sugar crisis. According to the report, Jahangir Tareen, Monis Elahi, Shahbaz Sharif and their families, Omni Group and Omar Shehryar have been blamed for the sugar crisis.

The Sugar Mills Association had challenged the investigation report of the Sugar Commission of Inquiry in the Islamabad High Court. Later on June 11, during the hearing of the case, the Islamabad High Court suspended the implementation of the Sugar Commission report for 10 days and ordered to sell sugar at Rs 70 per kg.

The Islamabad High Court later in a short judgment rejected the plea of the sugar mill owners and allowed the concerned agencies to take action on the sugar inquiry report.