Passco appeal: LHC division bench okays wheat sale

Ptitioner claims that Passco advertised the wheat at below market price and without inviting bids.

LAHORE: A Lahore High Court division bench has accepted an appeal against a single bench’s verdict declaring the sale of 400,000 tonnes of wheat by the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco) illegal.  Passco’s counsel argued on Thursday that the relief granted by the single bench was not sought in the original petition by the Socio Legal Anchors Foundation. He also argued that the petitioner had no locus standi on the matter.  Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Ayesha A Malik allowed the appeal, moved by Passco and some of the buyers, and set aside the order of the single bench.  The Socio Legal Anchors Foundation, a non-profit organisation, had challenged the sale, submitting that it violated procurement rules and was meant for the benefit of certain buyers. The petitioner had said that Passco had advertised the wheat at below market price and without inviting bids. The advertisement was published on January 18 and Passco started the sale on January 21.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2013.