Minister for Water and Power, Khawaja Asif says govt is ready to review notification issued on Sept 30. PHOTO: FILE
The apex court issued the directive today while hearing a case related the increase in power tariff.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry stated that “the general public should not be punished for the wrongdoings of the people who steal electricity."
“Strict investigation should be done against the people involved in power theft,” he further added.
Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif said that the government is ready to review the notification issued on September 30.
New prices
The SC had questioned the government’s new energy policy a day after a near 30 per cent increase in power tariffs and 4.2 per cent hike in fuel prices were announced.
The court, while hearing a case on load-shedding on October 1, sought the copies of two separate notifications announcing increase in electricity prices. If the notifications were issued unlawfully, we will pass an interim order, the chief justice said.
The first notification was issued by National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on August 5 and the other by the government on September 30. The chief justice observed that the government apparently has no right to regulate petroleum prices.
“[Increasing oil prices] is the exclusive domain of the regulators who have nothing to do with the government policy,” Justice Jawwad observed.
"This needs to be examined as the tariff should not be increased in such a manner," Chief Justice Chaudhry also said.
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