SC seeks plan from federal govt to supply electricity to Karachi within two weeks

ISLAMABAD (92 News) - Expressing its indignation at Karachi's power supply utility K-Electric for continued loadshedding despite a warning issued to it earlier, the Supreme Court (SC) sought a plan from the federal government to supply electricity to Karachi within two weeks. During the hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed remarked that power of half of the city was suspended after court orders. “Who are they to stop power supply to the city?” lashed out the CJP, saying that he had taken up the matter two days back and yet the metropolis faced a prolonged power outage on Wednesday. “Sir, the power supply was not cut off,” responded the KE lawyer, to which the CJP said that the residents of the city are facing problems due to KE’s monopoly. “People are dying, and they (KE officials) take bail from the high court for Rs50,000 [in surety],” remarked the apex court judge, warning he would impose severe fines against the power supplier. The top court has rejected a report submitted by K-Electric over continuous electricity load shedding in Karachi. The top judge said that you should have adopted some alternative way to overcome this crisis. Subsequently, the court has ordered scrutiny of the company who had purchased K-Electric and adjourned the hearing.

SC rejects plea to reassign charge of drains cleaning to Sindh govt from NDMA

The Supreme Court rejected a petition to reassign the responsibility for cleaning Karachi’s drainage system to the Sindh government from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Expressing anger, the chief justice said that if the Sindh government wants to do something for the people of Karachi, it shouldn’t have any issue with the NDMA cleaning drains in the metropolis. “Then why are you worried now?” asked Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed. “Yesterday no one said lots of work is going on in Karachi and that Karachi’s drains are clean,” he noted. The advocate general – while expressing unawareness why the NDMA started cleanliness operation in Karachi – sought time till August 30 to clean all nullahs. The court also ordered to clean the Bath Island drain. He reprimanded the AG on presenting pictures of cleaned nullahs in court, questioning what was he trying to prove by doing so? “Karachi’s population is more than 30 million. By cleaning two-three nullahs, you say Karachi’s problem stands resolved.” “Why did the NDMA come if the Sindh government was cleaning nullahs? What about encroachments on drain in Urdu Bazar?” Karachi Commissioner iftikhar Ali Shalwani told the apex court that the encroachments have been removed in Urdu Bazar.

SC orders companies to pay Rs 417 billion in GIDC case

Announcing its reserved verdict on Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC), the SC dismissed petitions against imposition of GIDC and ordered the companies to pay Rs 417 billion. A three-judge SC bench, headed by Justice Mushir Alam handed a split 2-1 verdict. It had reserved its judgement in the case after hearing arguments put forward by lawyers representing the appellants and the government in Feb. It is pertinent here to mention that the former government had imposed the tax of Rs 417 billion while the incumbent regime had waived Rs 220 billion. The government then withdrew the waiver ordinance after the opposition’s criticism.