Sugar mills: Compliance report sought on farmers’ dues

CJ had ordered the commissioner to seal the mills for defaulting on a Rs840 million payment to farmers earlier

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah directed the provincial cane commissioner on Monday to submit a compliance report after selling the stock at Brothers Sugar Mills, owned by a relative of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, to make withheld payments to farmers against the supply of sugarcane.

Commissioner Waqas Ahmad told the court that the Utility Stores Corporation had expressed interest in buying the stock.  He said the corporation had been asked to submit its bid.  He sought time for complying with the order. Justice Shah then adjourned the hearing until September 6.

Earlier, the chief justice had ordered the commissioner to seal the mills for defaulting on a Rs840 million payment to farmers. The commissioner had told the court that the mills had pledged a stock of 400,000 sugar bags with the office of the commissioner and 209,000 bags with banks. He said the stock pledged with the commissioner’s office was approximately worth Rs10 million.

The chief justice had ordered the commissioner to sell the stock and deposit the amount in court’s account.

A number of farmers had moved the court against the non-payment.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 16^th, 2016.