Milk prices: Petitioner moves court against increase in prices

SHC moved against increase in prices of milk and other dairy products.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) was moved on Wednesday against the increase in prices of milk and other dairy products.

The petition was filed by the secretary general of the United Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Rana Faizul Hasan. He maintained that while the Punjab introduced the Consumer Protection Ordinance in 2005, Sindh has no such law, which allows hoarders and profiteers to overcharge customers. Hasan also said that a law was introduced at the federal level in 1977 to control prices of essential commodities.

In the last three months, milk prices have been raised twice. The net increase is between Rs10 and Rs12 per kilogramme. The petitioner asked the court to order the Sindh government to introduce some legislation, to take notice of the illegal price hike and to order officials concerned to take action against wholesalers and retailers of milk and other dairy products under the Federal Act, 1977. The petition is likely to be heard on Thursday by a bench of the SHC.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 17^th, 2011.