Sharifs' mills suspended their operations, LHC told

The Lahore High Court on Monday was informed that three sugar mills of Sharif family had suspended their operations in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court. It was informed by Sessions Judges of Rahimm Yar Khan, Bahawalpur and Multan in their reports after visiting the mills on the directions of LHC. The counsel for Ittefaq Sugar Mills, however, submitted that the government of the Punjab has powers to amend policy to shift the sugar mills.
The court therefore sought legal assistance from the Punjab government on the matter on Tuesday (today). On the last hearing, the LHC had issued directions to the DSJs to visit the mills and ensure closure of these mills. The court had issued this order on the request of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) General Secretary Jahangir Tareen who said that the restraining order of the Supreme Court is not being complied with and the administration of all three mills - Chaudhry Sugar Mills Ltd Rahim Yar Khan, Ittefaq Sugar Mills Bahawalpur, and Haseeb Waqas Sugar Mills Muzaffargarh - still operational and carrying out manufacturing activities.
On February 9, the Supreme Court had ordered to suspend operations of these sugar mills and remanded the case to the LHC. During the course of hearing, some sugarcane farmers also appeared before the court and submitted that they sold sugarcane to Haseeb Waqas Sugar Mills but they have not made payment to them despite lapse of several years. However, the CJ asked them to avail available remedy for the recovery of their money. One of the farmers said their cases are pending before the LHC that have not been taken up so far. The CJ therefore observed that their cases would be heard within a couple of days.
On October 28, a division bench of LHC had maintained the status quo in the matter of shifting five sugar mills owned by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and their relatives.
On October 10, a single bench headed by Justice Ayesha A Malik had declared illegal the relocation of Chaudhry Sugar Mills, Ittefaq Sugar Mills in Sahiwal, Haseeb Waqas Sugar Mills in Nankana Sahib, Abdullah (Yousaf) Sugar Mills in Sargodha and Abdullah Sugar Mills in Depalpur to other districts. Tareen in his petitions had alleged that the Sharif family wanted to establish new mills under the garb of shifting their old mills, which was illegal.