KARACHI: Ghotki police raided the Alliance Sugar Mills, forcibly broke the main security gate, entered the hostels and arrested senior staff members, which severely disrupted industrial, administrative and office activities.
On January 10, the Ghotki district police raided Alliance Sugar Mills Limited, located in the jurisdiction of Obaro police station. Police personnel broke open the main security gates, entered residential hostels and arrested high-level staff, which constitutes a blatant violation of the orders issued by the Sindh High Court. The management of Alliance Sugar Mills Limited (ASML) said that due to undue interference by the police, the operations of the sugar mill were adversely affected and sugarcane crushing had to be temporarily suspended, without any reasonable justification being provided.
The suspension caused serious hardship for farmers, as delays in crushing sugarcane lead to reduced crop weight, financial losses and disruption in the timely sowing of the next crop, particularly wheat. As a result of the circumstances, farmers staged protests by blocking the National Highway. Subsequently, FIRs were also registered against managers and staff members of the mills.
In the light of developments, the company approached the Sindh High Court seeking legal protection. The court summoned the district police authorities and the SHO, who submitted an affidavit assuring the court that the police had not interfered in the operations of the sugar mill and would refrain from doing so in the future. The Sindh High Court thereafter issued explicit orders directing the police not to take any coercive or forceful action against the sugar mill.
Despite the court orders, the police conducted a raid on the mills on the night of January 10. Earlier, police personnel had reportedly stopped trolleys carrying sugarcane, disrupting the supply chain and causing significant financial losses to farmers.
Alliance Sugar Mills Limited emphasized that it plays a crucial role in stabilizing the regional economy and provides direct and indirect employment to thousands of people. The management stated that illegal interference not only disrupts industrial operations but also threatens the economic future of farmers, workers and their families who depend on the sugar industry for their livelihoods. Ghotki SSP Anwar Ali Khetran could not be contacted for version.
