LHC orders sealing of sugar mills if SC order not implemented

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has ordered for sealing three sugar mills of Sharif family if they are still operating despite restraining order of the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court on February 09 had suspended the operation of these sugar mills and had remanded the case to the LHC on the application of Jahangir Tareen, General Secretary Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The court directed the D&SJs to submit their reports, duly co-signed by the DPO/representative of the industries department and the representative of the mills management within three days.

The bench further observed that from February 20, the proceedings of the case would be held on a day-to-day basis.

The bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah also directed district police concerned to accompany the sessions judges and render full support in carrying out the inspection of these mills.

The bench in its written order held that before proceeding further, we want to be fully satisfied that the order of the SC is being implemented in letter and spirit.

In order to verify the ground position, the bench deputed D&SJs of Rahimyar Khan, Bahawalpur and Multan directing them to keep in mind that the restraining order issued by the SC is being implemented.

In case the D&SJs find that the mills are still in operation they will immediately seal the manufacturing process of the mills, the order said.

The concerned DPOs/RPOs are directed to accompany the D&SJ and render full support in carrying out the verification/inspection as directed by the court.

The court also directed that senior most officers of the Punjab industries department should also accompany the D&SJs and render full assistance regarding the technical aspects of the inspection/verification.

Earlier, Aitzaz Ahsan on behalf of Jahangir Tareen submitted that the restraining order of SC is not being complied with and all three mills - Chaudhry Sugar Mills Ltd. Rahim Yar Khan, Ittefaq Sugar Mills Bahawalpur, and Haseeb Waqas Sugar Mills Muzaffargarh are still operational and carrying out manufacturing activities.

A single bench headed by Justice Ayesha A Malik on October 10 last had declared 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 as illegal.

On October 28 a division bench of LHC on October 28 last 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.

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 and banned under the relevant policy.