Hearing a suo moto on unannounced power outages in the metropolis, Cheif Justice of Pakistan remarked on Tuesday the “federation is not fulfilling its responsibility”.
The chief justice, heading a three judge bench, questioned authorities in charge of ensuring the basic utility to masses over excessive load shedding in the city of lights.
The CJP wondered if the power utility was being reined in from investors in Bombay. He noted that the court had reservations about the power utility’s investors.
KE chairman, responding to bench’s reservations, informed that investors with ties to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait had invested $400 million in the company.
“It seems that that is not the end of the story,” the court resplied, adding that there must be someone behind them. “It seems as though eventually this company will have connections with Bombay,” the CJP remarked. “Perhaps the electricity in Karachi and Balochistan is controlled from Bombay,” he said referring to news reports.
KE lawyer refused to concede to the court’s reservations and replied that news stories were incorrect. Nevertheless, the court wasn’t convinced.
Turning to NEPRA and state authorities, the irked CJP noted that it has failed not only in guaranteeing utility to masses but even on probing the factors behind the shortage.
On the instructions given in earlier hearing the power regulatory body NEPRA and the federal government presented its report to the apex court on why the load shedding still persisted, which, deeming it as unsatisfactory, the top judge rejected.
He directed the bodies to furnish reports anew on the matter in the next hearing scheduled for November.
The CJP noted, “These reports don’t give a clear picture,” and added that neither the federal nor the provincial governments were doing anything to address the issue. “The federation is not fulfilling its responsibility,” he said.
Justice Ahmed said, referring to K Electric management which privately and solely runs power generation, transmission and distribution in Karachi, people were being allowed to exploit state institutions.
“The government does not have the capabilities. All institutions are taking advantage of the government’s shortcomings.”
He reprimanded government officials for remaining idle and drawing heavy salaries for nothing. The CJP said all Nepra and Power Division employees “should be fired”. “There is no point of having such employees.”
Furthermore, the top judge said of the KE that the power utility had become the people’s master after “hijacking” them. He recalled the NEPRA’s earlier notification that the price for electricity had been increased once again in Karachi.
