Sugar Report: Federal Government challenges SHC order in top court

The Federal Government  has challenged in the Supreme Court the order of the Sindh High Court to stop the implementation of the Sugar Commission report.

The Federal Government has requested the Supreme Court that the Sindh High Court granted relief to the Sugar Mills Association without hearing the stance of the government, however, there is no mention of the order of the Islamabad High Court.

The Home Ministry requested the Supreme Court to quash the order suspending the implementation of the Sugar Commission report.

It may be recalled that last week, 20 sugar mills in Sindh had approached the Sindh High Court against the report of the Sugar Inquiry Commission, on which the court had ordered that no action be taken till the next hearing. While issuing the notices to the federal government and others, the court sought reply.

The SHC’s division bench, headed by Justice Omar Sial, inquired the counsel as to how the matter fell within the writ jurisdiction of the SHC as no concrete action had been taken by any department against the petitioners. The counsel submitted that a perception had been created that all sugar mills are indulging in unlawful activities due to observations made in the inquiry report and ensuing media debates on the subject.

The Sugar Mills Association had earlier filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court against the inquiry report on which the court ordered the federal agencies to take action against those responsible in accordance with the law. According to the decision, under the NAB Ordinance, the federal government can send the case to the NAB, while the formation of the Sugar Commission of Inquiry is also correct.