LAHORE - The Lahore High Court on Thursday sought personal appearance of Federal Minister for Industries and Production Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo and others in contempt of court proceedings. A division bench headed by Chief Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif had already issued contempt notices to Wattoo, Commerce Secretary Salman Siddique, Chief Secretary Punjab Javed Mehmood, Pakistan Sugarmills Association chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan and its Punjab chapter president Javed Kiyani. On Thursday, the respondents, except the commerce secretary, filed their replies and submitted they had never committed any contempt of court nor they would do so in future. Salman Siddique could not file reply due to his engagement abroad. Manzoor Wattoo had submitted his reply on last date of hearing. Abdul Quddus Mughal, a citizen, had filed a contempt of court petition saying the respondents were not complying with courts order of fixing the price of sugar at Rs 40 per kg. The petitioners counsel Shafqat Mehmood Chohan has submitted that instead of implementing the order the respondents started making derogatory remarks which amounted to contempt of court. He said when the Lahore High Court chief justice had pronounced the order the Punjab chief secretary, who was present in the courtroom, had assured the court that its order would be complied with. The counsel said the chief secretary and other respondents had not only failed to get the order implemented but also joined hands with the sugarmills lobby. He pointed out Wattoo had made derogatory remarks about the court order at meetings and media briefings.