Supreme Court of Pakistan’s three member bench headed by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah while hearing a case related to fixing of prices of sugar and other essential commodities, referred the matter to the apex court’s administrative committee to constitute a larger bench.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah after hearing the arguments of Sugar Mills’ counsel said the case was a matter of constitutional interpretation and therefore should be heard by a larger bench.

During the hearing, Sugar Mills counsel Shahzad Atta Elahi pleaded to the court that to ascertain the prices of essential items, Price Fixation Act 1977 has been challenged therefore a larger bench should be constituted under the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Act.

During July 2021 and September 2021, the federal government issued an order to determine the prices of sugar across the country but government notification was challenged in the High Court by Sugar Mills’ lawyer further contended.

Advocate Shehzad Atta Elahi further said the Government made the notification in view of the Act of 1977. According to the Federal Legislative List, Parliament did not have the power to fix the prices of food items, counsel said.

Sugar Mills’s lawyer further pleaded that after 18th Amendment, the determination of sugar prices was not in the scope of the federal government at all.

Later Supreme Court of Pakistan’s bench adjourned the hearing for indefinite time.

Reporter: Amanat Gashkori