LHC summons Punjab cane commissioner

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday, hearing the case filed by Jamaat-e-Islami’s Lahore chief Maqsood Ahmed, summoned the Punjab cane commissioner to court on January 17, citing severe reservations to the report submitted by the cane commissioner earlier.

The petitioner has maintained that not all sugar mills are functioning and neither the sugarcane rate of Rs180 per maund is being ensured by the government, adding that as per law the sugar mill owners are mandated to run their mills by October but as the mills are not functioning, the sugar cane farmers are facing heavy monetary losses.

The petitioners claimed that only in South Punjab the sugarcane farmers will face a loss of over Rs40 billion.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government submitted an affidavit in court stating its stance on the opening of sugar mills.

The case has been adjourned until January 17.