No Coercive Measures Against Two Mills: Lahore High Court Assured

The Lahore High Court (LHC) was assured on Wednesday that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would not take any coercive measures till September 18 against administration of Alarabia Sugar Mills and Faruki Pulp Mills, owned by Shehbaz Sharif family and Jahangir Tareen, respectively, in the light of the Sugar Inquiry Commission Report

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Sep, 2020 ) :The Lahore High Court (LHC) was assured on Wednesday that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would not take any coercive measures till September 18 against administration of Alarabia Sugar Mills and Faruki Pulp Mills, owned by Shehbaz Sharif family and Jahangir Tareen, respectively, in the light of the Sugar Inquiry Commission Report.

Additional Attorney General for Pakistan Ishtiaq A Khan made the assurance before Justice Sajid Mehmood Sethi who was hearing two separate petitions filed by the mills , challenging FIA proceedings against them.

The additional attorney general made the assurance while opposing request for interim relief by the petitioners' counsel for the administration of both mills. He requested the court to adjourn the matter for a few days to enable respondents to file reply in the matter.

After assurance by the additional attorney general , the court adjourned the petitions till September 18 and directed respondents for filing the reply till the next date of hearing.

Earlier, the petitioners' counsel argued before the court that the federal cabinet gave approval for investigations against sugar mills in the light of the Sugar Inquiry Commission Report whereas it did not have the authority for the purpose.

He submitted that Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Accountability and Interior Shahzad Akbar illegally directed the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and FIA for a probe against sugar mills in the light of the Sugar Inquiry Commission Report. He submitted that the SAPM had asked for completion of the probe in 90 days.

The counsel submitted that as per Companies Act 2017 and Securities Act 2015, the FIA could hold investigation on reference forwarded by the SECP but the commission had not forward any reference against the petitioner-mills.

He contended that notices issued to administration of mills by the FIA were in violation of Articles 4, 5, 10 A and 25 of the constitution and pleaded with the court for setting aside the same after declaring them illegal.

The counsel also pleaded with the court for setting aside approval given by the federal cabinet for probeagainst the mills, besides suspending decisions of federal government and FIA against the petitioner-mills tillthe final decision of the petitions.