An attempt by the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis to initiate the privatisation process of Overseas Pakistanis Foundations (OPF) girls’ college in the capital has been halted by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday. The court has summoned Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis secretary and OPF managing director to explain their viewpoint.
The petition challenging the privatisation of the OPF college was filed by parents of students studying at the F-8/2 branch. The petitioners, through their counsel Kazim Raza Naqvi, had requested the court to declare advertisements inviting expressions of interest in various newspapers illegal.
The IHC restrained the ministry from privatising the college till further orders.
The counsel argued that publication of advertisements by the ministry was against the Privatisation Ordinance 2000 and a decision approved by the Cabinet Committee on Privatisation. He informed the court that the cabinet committee ratified a proposal authorising the privatisation commission to exclusively publish advertisements for public-private partnership in January 2010. “No other ministry or government department is empowered to place advertisements related to privatisation,” he added.
He contended that every citizen has the right to access education and OPF schools and colleges were established for the welfare of overseas Pakistanis and not for commercial purposes. OPF colleges and schools are controlled by the overseas Pakistanis ministry.
The petition was filed by Ashfaq Hussain and five other parents of students.
NEPRA put on notice for exhorting fuel surcharge
Meanwhile, the capital court summoned National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) chairman for defying court orders to freeze Fuel Price Adjustment (FPA) charges.
A contempt petition was filed by Barrister Abubakar Sehri to call attention to the fact that NEPRA was billing the consumers for FPA charges. Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan heard the case.
On May 10, the IHC had restrained NEPRA from collecting fuel price adjustment charges from consumers, after the petitioner claimed that the imposition of charges on domestic consumers was illegal.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 29th, 2012.
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