SHC issues notices to Karachi mayor, others over tax collection through power bills
The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued notices to Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab and other relevant parties in response to a petition challenging the inclusion of municipal taxes in K-Electric bills.
On July 15, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) filed a contempt of court petition against Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab, at the SHC concerning the collection of collection of Municipal Utility Charges and Taxes (MUCT) through electricity bills.
On May 30, SHC reserved its verdict in the case.
In today's hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer, Advocate Usman Farooq, argued that the addition of municipal taxes to electricity bills has exacerbated the public's frustration, already strained by K-Electric's performance, rising electricity prices, and billing issues.
The petition alleges that the Karachi mayor outsourced the collection of municipal taxes to K-Electric without consulting opposition parties, bypassing the input of Jamaat-e-Islami and PTI.
The petition requests the court to declare the municipal tax imposed by Mayor Murtaza Wahab as illegal and to nullify the agreement between Mayor Karachi and K-Electric.
The court has issued notices to the Karachi Mayor and other involved parties, demanding a response by August 27.
JI's petition
The petition was submitted by Advocate Saifuddin, the opposition leader of JI, through Advocate Usman Farooq.
It claimed that Mayor Wahab had previously submitted an affidavit regarding the establishment of a committee and the council's approval for municipal tax collection.
It explained that Mayor Wahab had assured that no additional deductions would be made by K-Electric besides service charges. He also guaranteed that consumers using less than 300 units of electricity would not be taxed.
The petition noted that on May 31, the municipal commissioner issued a notification for the committee's formation, with the mayor as the head and eight members on the committee
On June 3, a dispute arose during the first meeting with the parliamentary leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Despite assurances from the parliamentary leader of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) to resolve the issue and hold the meeting the following day, Mayor Wahab conducted a meeting with PPP members on the same day without notifying the opposition parties.
On June 10, the municipal tax issue was not included in the city council meeting agenda. Moments before the meeting, the tax issue was added to the supplementary agenda. Mayor Wahab hastily presented the municipal tax resolution, causing chaos.
The petition pleaded that the mayor declared the resolution approved without a proper vote count.
It alleged that Wahab's decision violated the affidavit submitted to the court.
"By failing to comply with court orders, Mayor Wahab is guilty of contempt of court," the petition read.
The petition, therefore, seeks contempt proceedings against Mayor Wahab and requests to halt the agreement between the mayor and K-Electric regarding municipal tax collection.