Asks the AAG what steps are taken to cut prices. PHOTO: FILE
Expressing concern over increasing flour prices, the Supreme Court on Monday asked federal and provincial governments to submit a comprehensive report regarding government’s steps to reduce the flour prices.
The court directed Additional Attorney General (AAG) Atiq Shah that the report – to be filed at the next hearing on April 14 – should explain whether the interest of the growers was taken care of while fixing wheat support prices.
“The report should also encompass complete data regarding the availability of wheat and wheat flour in the open market,” noted the three-judge bench of the apex court – headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja.
“It is the duty of the executive to provide basic necessities but unfortunately, the government has failed to fulfill its responsibilities in this regard,” the bench said, adding that the apex court would definitely intervene when people would die of hunger.
“The media is full of news of people committing suicide because of hunger but millions were being spent only to hold a festival,” Justice Khawaja added.
The court was hearing a plea filed by Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) Secretary General Liaquat Baloch. The petitioner had cited a letter from Malik Mohammad Nazeer of Chakwal, who had pleaded that wheat flour was being sold at Rs42 per kilogramme, while the commodity was available for Rs13 last year.
Punjab’s Additional Advocate General Razzaq A Mirza informed the court that the provincial government had appointed 1,200 price magistrates to visit the retail markets, check prices, hoarding, profiteering and impose fine and other punishments on the spot under the Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Act 1977.
“During a recently launched campaign, 32,990 markets were checked and fined a hefty Rs39.5 million from November 1, 2013 to December 15, 2013; while 489 FIRs were also registered,” he said.
He said this campaign had helped in bringing down the prices of many essential items along with bringing stability in prices of certain items during the last one month.
“The wheat flour is available throughout the province at Rs785 per 20 kg bag which makes it to sell at a price of Rs36 per kg,” AAG Punjab said.
He said Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had also constituted a cabinet committee for monitoring prices of essential items on a daily basis, adding the CM himself chaired meeting of the committee.
“The committee analyses price trends of essential commodities and suggests measures to ensure the quality, quantity and availability of essential commodities at fixed prices,” he added.
The federal law officer Atiq Shah also submitted that Ministry of the National Food Security held a meeting – attended by representative of all the provinces – and took measures that helped reduce the prices of wheat flour by Rs7 to Rs8 per kg.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 8th, 2014.
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The court is once again crossing the line. Why should an elected government be accountable to a court on issues relating to economy. The judges are least qualified to comment on how the economic affairs of the country are managed. I was surprised that the government lawyer did not tell the judges to mind their own business.