The Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered Tuesday the Industries and Production Ministry to move against black-marketing of urea fertilizer and ensure its provision on fixed rates in the open markets. Justice Anwar Khan Kasi held the hearing of a petition filed by Shafqat Abbas Tarar Advocate, in which the petitioner cited Prime Minister Secretariat, secretaries of the Cabinet Division, Industries and Production, National Food Security, head of Monopoly Control Authority and Ministries of Food and Agriculture of the four provinces as respondents. The petitioner submitted that the government had fixed the rate of urea fertiliser at Rs 1,350 per 50 kg bag but the dealers, in connivance with the officials of the respondent departments were selling the same urea bag from Rs 1,700 to Rs 2,000. “The professional laxity of the respondents has been causing a urea shortage in the open market,” he contended. “Any such negligence can cause huge damage to the wheat crop which is being sown countrywide these days,” the petitioner maintained.
He alleged that the government had virtually failed to maintain the fixed rate of urea fertilizer and farmers could not get the fertilizer.
“The petitioner contended that during the year 2010-2011, the selling price of fertilizer remained deregulated on the understanding that manufacturers would allow free market forces to prevail in order to pass the benefits of lower prices of fertilizer to the farmers. But contrary to this, the farmers are witnessing a severe shortage of fertilizer,” he added. He requested the court to direct the Monopoly Control Authority to ensure smooth provision of fertilizers for the farmers at fixed rates. Then the court disposed off the petition and ordered the respondents to address the complaints of the petitioner and farmers at large.
IHC suspends CNG load management plan: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday once against suspended the load management plan of the petroleum ministry regarding three-day CNG closure on a petition filed by seven CNG owners of the federal capital. Justice Riaz Ahmad Khan heard the case. Several CNG owners, through their lawyer, Syed Hasan Raza, contended that SNGPL had misinterpret the earlier court order and not allowed his clients to open their filling stations even after the court orders. The petitioners made Ministry of Petroleum, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and others respondents. Earlier, on November 8, the IHC stayed the operation of gas load management plan of the Petroleum Ministry regarding three-day CNG closure in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).
