Rights of sugarcane farmers will be safeguarded: CJP

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar said on Monday that the rights of the sugarcane farmers will be safeguarded.

A three-member bench under Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar was hearing the case related to sugarcane mills on the appeals filed against the earlier verdict given by the Lahore High Court.

During the hearing, the CJP said that the decision over sugar mills shut down will not be reverted as the court verdict should be respected.

The cane commissioner told the court that 57 points have been reserved for the purchase of sugarcane.

Meanwhile, the farmers also presented their stance before the court saying that they are facing injustice.

The sugarcane farmers’ lawyer said that the sugar cane mills owner are not buying sugarcane at the rate of Rs180 per maund and the production is going to waste.

The CJP in response said that those should be fined who are the reason behind the situation.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and one of the mill owners, Jahangir Tareen said that the issue was caused by the Punjab government. He said that his mill is buying the harvest at Rs180 per maund and other mill owners should also follow suit.

After the arguments, the CJP constituted a committee comprising mill owners and representatives of sugarcane farmers. He directed them to meet at the residence of Aitzaz Ahsan to find a possible solution which can help out the cultivators.

The apex court for monitoring will appoint a judicial officer subsequently.

On Feb 9, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Saqib Nasir gave orders to halt sugarcane crushing in three sugar-cane mills owned by the Sharif family.

The Ittefaq Sugar Mill, Chaudhry Sugar Mill and Waqas Sugar Mill have been ordered to halt sugarcane crushing after a petition was entered by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Jehangir Tareen’s DW Sugar Mill, challenging an earlier stay order by the Lahore High Court.