Khawaja Asif contended that the delay in installation of the power plants had inflated the costs three times compared to the earlier estimate of $329 million. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, deferred proceedings of a constitutional petition moved by Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) legislator, against delay in establishment of Nandipur and Chichunki Malian power projects.
During brief proceedings, the chief justice told Asif that he will have to argue his case afresh as the composition of the bench had been changed.
The counsel for the Ministry of Water and Power apprised the bench that for setting up the Nandipur project, a meeting was held on January 23 in which the first phase of the project was approved and now the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) will finally accord its approval.
Babar Awan, former law minister, also appeared in response to a notice and stated that the commission constituted by the court had never summoned him. He said he was not a respondent in the case and during his tenure as the law minister he received the file for one day and disposed of the case immediately.
He maintained that people who were responsible for causing the delay in execution of the projects were still serving in the law ministry.
Asif contended that the delay in installation of the power plants had inflated the costs three times compared to the earlier estimate of $329 million.
The bench was constituted over delays in installation of the Rs29 billion 425-megawatt (MW) combined cycle power plant in Nandipur and the 595MW Chichunki Malian power project.
A one-man commission of Justice (retd) Rehmat Hussain Jaffri had also compiled a report over the issue, which was set up on the apex court’s directive.
The same bench also adjourned hearing for a fortnight of a plea moved by Asif over the allocation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) quota.
Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, counsel for the respondent, told the bench that since 2000, the government had deregulated LPG quota. He said the appropriate forum for debating the issue was the high court as it will have to record evidences.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 5th, 2013.
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