Sugar mills complete arguments in intra-court appeal

Attorney general to present arguments today

ISLAMABAD:

The counsels for the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association and sugarcane growers on Tuesday concluded their arguments in the intra-court appeal against the sugar scandal investigation in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) while the attorney general will initiate his arguments on Wednesday (today).

An IHC division bench comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the case.

In the intra-court appeal, counsels for the PSMA requested the court to declare the IHC judgment dated June 20, 2020 as null and void. An IHC single bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah had turned down the petition challenging the report of the Sugar Inquiry Commission.

During the proceedings, the attorney general was also present in the courtroom.

The counsel for the sugar mills, Makhdoom Ali Khan Advocate, apprised the court that the single bench in its decision hoped that the matter would not be aired on media but even today programmes and talk shows regarding it are being run.

“Mirza Shahzad Akbar [special assistant to the prime minister on accountability] held a news conference two days back. The same thing, which the single bench had hoped would not be aired, was repeated in the conference.”

The other counsel for the sugar mills, Salman Akram Raja Advocate, informed the bench that there were many effects of the inquiry report – “we were called mafia, allegations were levelled against us”.

“Something was reportedly found from a laptop of an employee of one mill, which was used against the whole industry. What was the need for a commission? What was the goal of the inquiry when relevant institutions were already present?” 

Salman Akram Raja apprised the bench that saying that inquiry report is nothing, “is incorrect”. “We have been specially accused in the inquiry report.”

Raja presented different views of courts regarding the matter.

The counsel for sugarcane growers apprised the court that the business of his clients suffered the most in the whole scenario. “But in this whole case, we are not being listened to like we should.”

He informed the court that the Constitution provides his clients basic rights and in the case, they have the most rights because they are the ones who have suffered the loss.

The case has been adjourned till Wednesday (today).