Masses deprived of sugar at Rs.40/ kg despite court orders

Updated at: 1247 PST, Saturday, October 31, 2009

KARACHI: Supreme Court has directed the provincial governments to ensure availability of sugar at Rs.40/ kg to the masses but sugar is either not available at shops or available at the rate more then Rs.50/ kg. According to apex court order, provincial governments should monitor the distribution of the sugar to common man at the rate of Rs.40/ kg.The Chairman of Pakistan Sugar Mills Association Askandar Khan told Geo News that 70 percent of sugar has been used by industrial consumer while 30 percent consumed by domestic consumers. He said on the directives of Supreme Court, sugar is available at the rate of Rs.40/kg to domestic consumers.According to market sources, sugar is on sale at Rs.65 per kg to 70 per kg. In Quetta, sugar is available at Rs. 50 to 56 per kg. In some areas of Punjab, sugar is on sale more then Rs.100/kg whereas there is no sugar in Lahore. In NWFP, Rs.90/kg is the rate of sugar. In urban areas Islamabad, sugar is available at Rs. 40/kg and Rs.40/kg in outskirts.