Pak SC settles bitter battle over humble samosa

Jul 26, 2012 |

Islamabad

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Alas! The days of cheap samosas in Pakistan are over.

Ending a legal wrangle over the price of the humble samosa, the Supreme Court has set aside a notification of the Punjab government whereby the price of one 'samosa' was fixed at Rs 6.

The samosa, till early this week, was caught up in a legal tussle between the provincial government and Punjab Bakers and Sweets Federation. In 2009, the City District Government Lahore had fixed price of one samosa at Rs 6 and magistrates imposed fine on shopkeepers for selling the same at a higher price.

The Punjab Bakers and Sweets Federation, through its President Chaudhry Muhammad Afzal, had challenged this order at the time, but the LHC had dismissed the petition.

The petitioner moved an appeal in the Supreme Court Lahore Registry arguing that Samosa is not an item notified under the Punjab Foodstuffs (Control) Act 1958; therefore, its price cannot be fixed by the provincial government.

The Punjab government's counsel submitted that the government had the power to fix prices of items that were being sold to the public at large. The apex court, however, allowed the appeal of Punjab Bakers and Sweets and set aside the impugned notification on Tuesday.

The samosas are consumed with great relish by Pakistanis around the year but the sales skyrocket during Ramzan as it is a staple of the Iftar spread.

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