Peshawar High Court. PHOTO: PPI
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday extended its stay order against the collection of fuel adjustment surcharge by Peshawar Electricity Supply Company (Pesco) till October 22.
The two-judge division bench – hearing a writ petition against collection of the charges – also issued its last warning to the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) to appear before the court on next hearing to sort out the issue.
The Pesco counsel Abdur Rauf Rohaila informed the bench that Pesco stopped collecting fuel adjustment charges in 2002 – after which the provincial government had to give around Rs37.6 billion to the utility. He requested the court to suspend the stay order and allow the utility to collect the charges in fuel adjustment.
The government’s counsel Shumail Ahmad Bhutt told the bench that from 1958 to 1994, Wapda was controlled by one administration. “But afterwards the institution was divided into various parts and many different companies were made, which created such problems,” he added.
He said the K-P generated electricity more than its actual demand. “So collection of such type of charges in the province is not warranted by the law,” he said, adding that it was also necessary to seek a comprehensive report from the federal government.
The bench after hearing the arguments extended the stay order till October 22. It also directed the AGP to assist the court in this case and appear on next hearing.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2013.
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