The Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ain has written to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, urging him to take suo motu notice of an alleged sugar industry scandal in which mills reportedly profited by Rs300 billion due to recent price fluctuations.
In a letter addressed to the CJP, Vice Chairman Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar called for the formation of a commission under Article 184(3) of the Constitution to investigate suspected policy manipulation and regulatory failures.
Khokhar requested that the issue be urgently referred to a three-member committee or that the letter be treated as a formal petition to initiate judicial proceedings.
“The future of the country’s economic stability and citizens’ trust in governance hinges on prompt and decisive action,” the letter added.
It further highlighted that the Public Accounts Committee was informed on Tuesday, July 29, that sugar mills had earned Rs300 billion through recent rate hikes.
CCP reschedules hearing
The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has postponed the hearing of the sugar cartel case after over 70 sugar mills requested a delay, citing the unavailability of legal counsel due to the Supreme Court’s summer recess.
In a statement issued on Monday, the CCP announced that the hearing will now take place from September 22 to 25. The decision follows multiple adjournment pleas submitted by sugar mills.
More than 50 mills have also filed appeals in the Supreme Court challenging the tribunal’s decision directing the CCP to rehear the case.
The commission clarified that the hearing has been deferred once to fulfil the requirements of a fair trial. However, it emphasised that no further delay or adjournment would be granted.
The CCP stated that the case proceedings will be conducted daily.
Read: CCP to hear sugar pricing case today
Earlier in May, the Competition Appellate Tribunal had returned the case to the CCP for rehearing after announcing its verdict on the appeals filed by the sugar mills and the association against a Rs44b fine.
The tribunal instructed that the case be reheard under the supervision of the CCP chairperson or any other member who was not previously involved in the hearings.
The tribunal also ordered the commission to complete the rehearing and issue a verdict within 90 days.
In 2021, the CCP imposed a Rs44 billion fine on the PSMA and its member mills for forming a cartel to fix sugar prices and engaging in other anti-competitive practices.
