SHC questions mechanism of fixing milk price

Despite fixing new price of milk in Karachi, the issue has become complicated.

The Sindh High Court has summoned the Karachi commissioner to appear in person along with the price-fixing mechanism for fixing the price of milk.

A two-member bench heard a petition in this regard. A reply was submitted by the Karachi Commissioner Iqbal Memon on the order of the court.

In the reply the commissioner said that the price of milk in Karachi has been fixed at Rs120 per litre. A notification in this regard was also presented in the court.

Counsel for the petitioning retailers expressed reservations about fixing milk prices. The retailers' counsel argued that the SHC had in 2007 fixed the price of milk under a mechanism. However, the commissioner has not complied with the court order till date.

"We filed six contempt of court petitions for not fixing milk prices as per court order. Without consulting the stakeholders, the price of milk was hastily fixed at Rs120 per litre. In addition to fixing the price of milk, it is also important to estimate the total cost. Milk sellers were not given a chance to express their reservation," the counsel argued.

The court remarked, "The case has been pending for 14 years. Why no mechanism for fixing milk price has been set up so far?" The court also summoned Karachi commissioner to appear in person along with the price-fixing mechanism.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10^th, 2021.