The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has suspended the notification of slashing prices of naan and roti in the federal capital. IHC Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri took up the plea of Naanbai Welfare Association’s president. In the plea, the Naanbai Welfare Association maintained that the controller general cut the price of roti from Rs25 to Rs16 and naan from Rs30 to Rs20. The association maintained that the concerned authorities did not take them on board before making the decision. He told the court that the decision was made without consulting them and that the new prices were too low. The district administration representative told the court that the controller of general prices and suppliers was given powers to fix the rates of essential commodities including naan and roti.

The powers were handed over to the controller general after amendment in the law. Barrister Umar Aijaz Gilani, the lawyer of the Naanbai association, in his arguments, said the powers of the controller general were not by Section 3 as per the notification issue. Rent and flour prices are high in Islamabad, he added. The court asked the Islamabad district administration that was the association was asked about the rate of flour before slashing the prices. “Order was passed justice to make people happy.” Later, the court summoning the detailed response in the case suspended the notification of slashing the prices of naan and roti in Islamabad until May 6.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan