The Supreme Court has allowed the conditional permission to sell sugar at the fixed ex-mill rate and sent the case back to the Lahore High Court with instruction to decide the case in 15 days, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The apex court on Thursday heard the government’s appeal against the temporary relief given by the Lahore High Court to the Tareen group sugar mills against the ex-mill rate of the commodity as determined by the government. 

The Supreme Court allowed the conditional sale of sugar at the ex-mill rate fixed by the government. After pronouncing the decision, the apex court sent the case back to the LHC. The court ordered the sugar mills owners to calculate how much difference was found in the rates as suggested by them and the government price and asked them to deposit this excess money in the court voluntarily. 

The additional attorney general told the court that the government had fixed the ex-mill rate at Rs84 and sugar mills owners’ rate was Rs97. 

The court remarked that it was not enough that the sugar mills could only submit the surety bonds. It directed the concerned cane commissioner to keep the record of sugar stock and its sale. 

The apex court said the Lahore High Court was hearing the sugar rate case and it issued a one-sided stay order against the government fixed ex-mill sugar price. It remarked that it was the responsibility of the court to decide the case on a legal point. It is not the responsibility of the court to determine the price of a commodity and deliberate on its loss or profit. 

Justice Umar Atta Bundial remarked that the sugar price should be determined according to some formula. 

Reporter Amanat Gishkori