Pro-People Supreme Court tells NEPRA to behave

While the Nay-sayers continue to abuse the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Lawyers’ Movement,  the SCP has struck another one for the people.  -YLH

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court vacated on Thursday its order restraining the authorities from raising electricity tariff but cautioned the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) against coming up with any coercive plan to increase the tariff.

The court asked Nepra to inform it in advance, before recommending a tariff increase.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmed and Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja is hearing a suo motu case against the proposed increase in tariff despite erratic power supply and decline in oil prices in the international market.

The bench issued notices to the ministries of finance and water and power and asked them to inform the court about the proposed withdrawal of subsidy on electricity or increase in the tariff.

‘We do not want to interfere in your working, but the tariff formula should be in accordance with the rules,’ the chief justice observed before adjourning the hearing for three weeks.

The apex court had on July 6 stayed a proposed increase in electricity tariff till a final decision on the case. Taking notice of the government’s move to increase the tariff by a whopping 17 per cent across the board, with an exception to lifeline consumers, the chief justice had sought an explanation from the Water and Power Development Authority, Nepra and power distribution companies about the proposed increase despite massive loadshedding.

News reports suggest that the tariff may be increased by Rs1.96 per unit, but Wapda says the government has yet to approve it.

Advocate Anwer Kamal, the counsel for Pepco and distribution companies, said that power tariff had not been increased after the court order.

The court also asked the counsel about a statement issued by the government that subsidy on electricity would not be withdrawn over the next six months.

Advocate Ijazul Hassan, the counsel for Nepra, informed the court that the role of the authority was to make recommendations on the basis of petitions filed by power generation and distribution companies, keeping in view their revenue requirements. ‘Nepra has nothing to do with the subsidy. It is the prerogative of the government.’

He said that according to his information the government had decided not to withdraw subsidy on electricity for the time being.

Courtesy Dawn.com