The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its judgment in a case regarding ban on establishment of new sugar mills in the province of Punjab.
The court directed the Punjab government to submit record regarding establishment of new sugar mills in Punjab during 2005 to 2008.
The division bench of the apex court comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and Justice Qazi Faez Isa heard the case.
During the course of proceedings, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, counsel for Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA), told the court that former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi banned construction of new sugar mills in the province for the purposes to raise the production of cotton.
He said that two new sugar mills namely Ittehaf Sugar Mill and Rahim Yar Khan sugar mills were construed in 2008 with the permission of then provincial government.
Aitzaz Ahsan said that cotton production is a backbone for economy of the country and current year’s less production badly affect the country’s economic system.
He said that Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar also admitted in his budget speech that less cotton production affected economy.
After hearing arguments the court reserved verdict and directed Punjab government to submit record of sugar mills constructed during 2005 to 2008 in three days.
