SC adjourns hearing of GIDC review petitions till today

The Supreme Court has adjourned till Wednesday (today) the hearing of review petitions against the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC).

A three-member bench, headed by Justice Mushir Alam, heard the review petitions.

During the hearing, lawyer Naeem Bukhari sought permission to appear, after which Salman Akram Raja and lawyer Ali Zafar appeared. They adopted the stance that after the arguments of Makhdoom Ali Khan, the main lawyer of the case, both the lawyers would present their arguments.

However, The SC principal seat could not be linked to the Karachi registry due to bad video link.

Advocates of various CNG stations appeared and took the position that due to the restraining order of the high court, the owners of CNG stations could not collect cess from the customers.

“Now, the Supreme Court has also ordered recovery from these pump owners which is not in accordance with the principle of justice,” they said, adding that the CNG stations could no longer receive cess.

The court directed all the lawyers to come prepared and adjourned the hearing for one day.

At the end of the hearing, lawyer Bukhari while smiling asked Justice Faisal Arab that would the review applications not be decided after your retirement.

“One group wants review requests to be heard after your retirement. However, I do not have such a desire,” the lawyer stated.

Justice Faisal Arab replied that the case was being adjourned for one day only.