LAHORE: The Lahore High Court directed on Tuesday the Punjab industries secretary to decide in a month a matter regarding the alleged unlawful establishment of five sugar mills in south Punjab.

Justice Ayesha A. Malik issued this direction disposing of a petition by the Haseeb Waqas Sugar Mills, owned by close relative of Sharif family, challenging establishment of JDW Sugar Mills, Rahim Yar Khan Sugar Mills, Hamza Sugar Mills, Ashraf Sugar Mills and Fatima Sugar Mills.

The petitioner-mills through counsel Ali Sibtain Fazli contendedthatithadñled arepresentation before the secretary for actionagainsttheñverespondents mills. However, he said, no action had been taken so far.

The counsel argued that the respondent mills violated a banimposed by the government in 2006 against enhancement and relocation of mills. He asked the court to order the secretary to take action againsttherespondent sugar mills and stop their operations for violating the law.

During the proceedings, an assistant advocate general told the court that representation against illegal enhancement/ expansion of crushing capacities in sugar mills had been pending before secretary industries since April 19, 2017 without any progress.

He said it would be appropriate if a direction was given to the secretary to decide the pending representation of petitioner (Haseeb Waqas Sugar mills).

Justice Malik directed the secretary to decide the representation of Haseeb Waqas Sugar mills in accordance with law within a month af ter hearing all parties concerned.

PLEA DISMISSED: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday dismissed apetition challenging appointment of Punjab chief minister`s press secretary.

In his dismissal order, Justice Shahid Karim observed that the petition was not maintainable before the court.

Advocate Sheraz Zaka filed the petition saying Shoaib Bin Aziz, being a retired government officer, could not be appointed as press secretary to the chief minister.

He said the responsibilities assigned to the respondent were already being discharged by the offices of information secretary and directorgeneralofpublicrelations (DGPR).

The lawyer alleged the respondent had also been found guilty in an inquiry conducted by AntiCorruption Establishment (EAC) regarding misappropriation of government payments during his appointment as DGPR.

He asked the court to set aside the appointment of the respondent being unlawful.