News
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Corruption in Rental Power Projects’ contractsSC issues notices to top bosses of Law, Power ministries, WAPDA
By Hasnaat Malik
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday again issued notices to secretaries Ministry of Law, Water and Power and WAPDA Chairman for alleged corruption in Rental Power Projects’ contracts.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry including Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Pervaiz heard a sou moto case of the Rental Power Projects, taken on a letter of Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, Leader Pakistan Muslim League.
During the hearing, when Khawaja Asif Central Leader PML-N came up to the rostrum to plead his case, the chief justice remarked that why the parliamentarians are approaching the apex court. He replied that when the parliament is not able to solve the problems then they left with no other option but to resort the apex court.
He said due to delay in completion of Nandipur and Chicho Ki Milian Rental Power Projects the national economy had to face Rs62 billion loss adding this had happened due to negligence of the government.
Khawaja Asif informed the court that a few days ago when there was severe load shedding in the country, the authorities concerned use water stored for Rabi crops to generate electricity.
Khawaja Tariq Rahim counsel for Ministry of Water and Power said that due the Rental Power Projects cases pending in the apex court the investors were running away. But the CJP remarked that do not scare the courts by saying this. He said due to court the judgments the confidence among the people had been restored.
Faisal Saleh Hayat, the petitioner, submitted an application before the bench for the adjournment of the case.
Khawaja Asif said that Faisal Saleh Hayat, who is the main petitioner in the matter, has no more interest in the case as his party has joined the Pakistan Peoples Party government.
He prayed to the court also to take up the issue of severe load shedding in the country.
The court adjourned the hearing till October 26, 2011.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk