Lahore - The Lahore High Court on Friday ordered the audit of Rs 480 billion paid by the government to the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and observed that the burden of the incompetence of the officials can’t be shifted on the masses.
Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial also observed that equalisation surcharge could not be received from the consumers.
The court was hearing petitions against electricity loadshedding, fuel adjustments and equalisation surcharge.
As hearing started, the petitioner’s counsel told the court that loadshedding did not reduce despite payment of Rs 480 billion by the govt to the IPPs. Following court notices, Joint Secretary Water and Power Zargham Khan appeared before the court and submitted that unannounced loadshedding had ended.  He said that the companies had to bear line losses due to substandard transformers and supply lines. The Karachi Electric Supply Company could not take electricity more than 650MW, but it drew 950MW from the national grid station, he added.
At this, the CJ observed that the amounts of the line losses had to be paid by the poor masses. The companies should adopt modern methods for distribution of the electricity so that nobody could get power more than its due share, he added.  He also said all the appointments of officers in LESCO should be made on merit.  He ordered that the schedule of power loadshedding should be uploaded on the website.  The court also summoned the record of equalisation surcharge imposed on the consumers besides ordering the audit of Rs 480 billion paid by the govt to IPPs. The court will take up the matter on November 25th.
MINISTRY GIVEN ON-WEEK TIME
The Lahore High Court CJ on Friday allowed one week to Ministry of Interior to file report in response of a petition seeking recovery of a retired major of Pakistan Army Mujahid Azeem and his son Ali Tariq.
CJ Umar Ata Bandial passed the orders on the petition moved by family of the missing persons from the Punjab.
The petitioner through counsel submitted the retired major Mujahid Azeem was missing since last three months. When they approached the LHC for his recovery, son Ali Tariq also disappeared.
The lawyer argued that police and other security agencies had failed to recover the both persons despite the lapse of three months.  The family of the disappeared persons was living in a state of insecurity, the counsel added.  He requested the court to issue directions to the police and other security agencies to recover both the missing persons.
Following court notices, an official of the Ministry appeared before the court and submitted that Rangers and Federal Investigation Agency fell under the control of the Ministry.  To a court query, the official requested the court to allow some more time to file the report regarding the missing retired Army man and his son.
The court accepted his request and adjourned hearing till November 7.
Earlier, Intelligence Bureau had submitted its report stating that both missing persons were not in the bureau’s custody.