The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday extended the deadline for the Techno Sahuwal Rental Power Company to reimburse the amount received in advance payment from the government till Monday.
A three member bench of the Supreme Court chaired by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry heard the case at the apex court today (Friday).
The lawyer of the company told the court that the money is in a Dubai bank and the banks are closed today (Friday). The company's managing director assured the court that the the amount will be refunded with two years mark up on Monday.
The hearing has been adjourned till January 17.
Updated from print edition (below)
Rental power projects: ‘Reimburse the money or face legal proceedings’
The Supreme Court of Pakistan directed the Techno Sahuwal Rental Power Company to reimburse Rs970 million received as advance payment from the government along with mark-up by today (Friday).
A three-member bench of the apex court comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday heard the case.
Justice Ramday asked the counsel for Techno Sahuwal Rental Power Company to first deposit the money in the national exchequer when he began to formulate his arguments. The counsel for WAPDA and PEPCO, Khawaja Tariq Rahim, apprised the court that Young Gin Rental Power Company has reimbursed the Rs1.26 billion which it had received in advance for power generation. The court asked him to present certificates of receipt of payment by the government from Young Gin Rental Power Company.
Khawaja Muhammad Asif of PML-N informed the court that PEPCO is still paying advance payments to rental power companies with guarantees, but their counsel denied the allegation. Hafiz Pirzada, the counsel for Kamoki and Reshman Rental Power Plants submitted before the bench that the former is generating 70 megawatts of electricity whereas Reshman Power Plant is producing 1000 megawatts. Both companies, however, have yet to be paid their dues.
“We don’t want to become a party to this matter by giving a ruling,” the Chief Justice observed. The Chief Justice directed the Techno Sahuwal Power Company to reimburse the money by today. The company’s proprietor has been summoned to court on the next date of hearing. If the company fails to reimburse the advance payment, the FIA will be directed to lodge an FIR against it.
“The money with which you are enjoying the luxuries of life belongs to the country,” the Chief Justice remarked. The court will resume the hearing of Techno Sahuwal Rental Power Company’s case today (Friday). The hearing of the rest of the cases has been adjourned till January 27.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 14th, 2011.
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