ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) Wednesday approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) chal­lenging the report of the Sugar Inquiry Commission.

In its petition, the association cited the federation through Secretary Cabinet Division, Secretary Interi­or, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Shahzad Ak­bar Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accounta­bility, Wajid Zia Director General (DG) FIA and others as respondents.

The petitioners stated in the petition that they seek the protection of this court against the entirely unlawful and unwarranted campaign of vilification and demonization launched against them in complete denial of the right to due process guaranteed to them by the Constitution.

They adopted, “An inquiry report that travels beyond its constitutional and statutory scope and purports to render decisive findings prior to the initiation of pro­ceedings by the legally designated executive authori­ties and determination by the appropriate judicial fora is liable to be set aside by this honourable court.”

Their petition said that a report titled “Report of the Commission of Inquiry Constituted by Ministry of Inte­rior to Probe into the Increase in Sugar Prices” was re­leased on May 21 while the said report was prepared by the Sugar Inquiry Commission (SIC) constituted on March 16 through a notification of Ministry of Interior.

They argued, “The scope of the Impugned Report clearly exceeds the constitutional mandate and limi­tation of a Federal Commission of Inquiry constitut­ed under the 2017 Act, as it trespasses into matters within the exclusive legislative and executive do­mains of the Provinces.”

It said that the entire inquiry has been carried out in a completely illegal, unlawful, opaque, biased and discriminatory manner. It has been conducted in complete contravention to the requirements of the 2017 Act and the relevant terms of reference.

Therefore, the PSMA and other petitioners prayed to the court to declare the notification of Interior Ministry of March 16 to constitute Sugar Inquiry Commission and all subsequent and consequent actions of the respond­ents including but not limited to the impugned report of May 21, the impugned Action Matrix of Respondent No 4 (Shahzad Akbar) and the impugned Prime Minis­ter’s decision of June 7 and the other actions of the gov­ernment officials as ultra vires the Act, unconstitutional, malicious and may be pleased to quash the same.