News
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Ashraf issued notice on plea against fuel surcharge
Staff Report
LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Friday issued notices to Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO), Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and Federal Water and Power Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on a petition challenging the enforcement of a six percent adjustment surcharge in electricity bills.
The judge also directed the three respondents to file their replies until April 29, while he turned down the counsel’s request of granting a stay against the enforcement of the fuel surcharge. Save Judiciary Committee’s Imtiaz Rasheed Qureshi had filed the petition along with his earlier petition, accusing Raja Pervaiz Ashraf of not performing his duties effectively. Qureshi alleged that the enforcement of the six percent fuel surcharge was unconstitutional and it would prove to be an extra burden on the consumers, who were already facing torturous load shedding and inflated electricity bills. He submitted that the government announced to enforce the surcharge from April but added it in the electricity bills of February, which was totally unfair. The petitioner requested the court to block the enforcement of the surcharge and declare it illegal and unconstitutional. On the previous hearing of the case on April 19, Justice Bandial imposed a ban on the unscheduled load shedding and ordered PEPCO to publish the schedule of the load shedding in newspapers. He also ordered PEPCO to take immediate steps for controlling the menace of the load shedding.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk