LAHORE, Feb 13: Hearing a petition against increase in prices of petroleum products, the Lahore High Court chief justice on Wednesday directed the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) to submit a criteria/formula for fixing their prices.
The CJ passed the order after hearing arguments of lawyer Azhar Siddique, the petitioner and postponed further hearing till March 28.
The lawyer stated excessive increase in petroleum prices was a fraud. He said the government always increased the prices taking cover of international rates but never provided relief to consumers when prices come down allover the world.
He said nobody knew under what policy or principle the government fixed POL prices.
The petitioner pointed out that a majority of petrol pump owners stopped the sale after Dr Asim Hussain, prime minister’s advisor on petroleum, hinted at another price hike in a recent statement.
He further argued that different government departments were making profit in billions from petroleum products and also collecting taxes from the consumers, subjecting them to double taxing and exploitation.
He said the people were already enduring the highly inflated prices and any further increase would amount to make their lives a hell. He requested the court to declare the increase in the PoL prices illegal.
Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial directed a deputy attorney general to ensure submission of Ogra’s reply on the next hearing.
adjourned: The Lahore High Court adjourned on Wednesday the hearing of petitions against formation of a parliamentary commission and proposed creation of the Bahawalpur Janoobi Punjab province.
The hearing was put off due to the absence of petitioner’s counsel.
The court also took up a fresh petition moved by members of the Bhakkar Bar Association on the pending matter and asked an additional attorney general to file a reply to the petition.
The court will resume hearing on all petitions on Thursday (today).
Petitioners contended that neither the Constitution nor rules of business allowed the National Assembly speaker to form a commission on new provinces’ subject. They said the inclusion of the Mianwali district in the proposed Bahawalpur Janoobi Punjab province was against the will of local citizens.
DIRECTED: The Lahore High Court directed the Punjab Sports Board secretary to resolve a dispute within three weeks about holding of the 21st Punjab Snooker Cup 2013.
A snooker player, Rashid Aziz, filed a petition, and said the Snooker and Billiard Association Punjab (SBAP), having its office at Davis Road Lahore, had announced holding the sports event in January last, but another similar association, having its office at Multan Road Lahore, had got a stay order from court against the event.
The petitioner said the association (Davis Road) announced the event afresh to be held in February but selected blue-eyed players from three districts for the tournament.
He said as per the rules 400 players from six districts were to be chosen to part take in the tournament going to be held in Rawalpindi.
The petitioner prayed to the court to order the Punjab Sports Board to take notice of the irregularity being committed by the association and also decide the dispute of affiliation of both associations.
