The Lahore High Court on Tuesday snubbed Assistant Cane Commissioner for not taking action against sugar mills' owners, and advised the petitioners to move contempt petition against him. The court was hearing petition of a Jamaat-e-Islami leader, Mian Maqsood Ahmad challenging closure of sugar mills in the crushing season.

Earlier Assistant Cane Commissioner told the court that the government had submitted affidavit regarding getting sugar mills open while the farmers were being paid Rs 180 per 40kg sugarcane. The petitioners' counsel, however, said that the government could not ensure functioning of all sugar mills in the province.

Closure of sugar mills, he said, had been damaging the farmers. He stated that over Rs 40 billion was at stake in Southern Punjab due to delay in crushing during the crushing season.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2018