News
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Power tariff increase challenged in LHCStaff Report
LAHORE: Another application was moved in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the recent increase in power tariff.
Judicial Activism Panel Chairman Muhammad Azhar Siddique filed the application in addition to his already pending petition against load shedding and electricity theft. He said the federal government had increased power tariff instead of overcoming line losses and poor performance of “inefficient DISCOs”. He said that the recent increase in electricity tariff by reducing subsidy is an act of violation of articles 9, 14, 18, 23, 24 and 25 of the constitution. He stated that it was part of the record that during hearing of the main case, the court had directed WAPDA and others to file detail of payments made to IPPs on account of circular debt and also decrease in tariff with reference to certain prices.
The petitioner stated that without fulfilling this exercise and taking people in confidence the federal government has increased power tariff. He said that it was also part of record that through the intervention of this court, strict action had been taken against power thieves and line losses. Siddique said that in the interest of justice and fair play, the increase in tariff and decrease in subsidy “may very kindly be declared illegal”.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk