PTI challenges ‘excessive electricity bills’ in IHC

Asad Umar, Arif Alvi and Dr Shireen Mazari contend that Nepra and DISCOS are charging unjustified and illegal amounts

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) MNAs filed a petition on Saturday against “excessive electricity billing” in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

The petitioners --- Asad Umar, Arif Alvi and Dr Shireen Mazari --- contend that National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) and electricity distribution companies (DISCOS) are charging unjustified and illegal amounts every month by issuing inflated and exorbitant electricity bills. They argue that DISCOS have charged excessive bills for the month of August and September 2014 without legal justification.

According to the petition, “Throughout the world, utility services tariffs are determined while keeping in view the purchasing power of citizen, but in Pakistan, power tariffs have gone far beyond the paying capacity of the common man.”

The petition adds that excessive billing has also created problems for trade and industry as it has increased cost of production, which eventually hampers industrial growth, reduces exports and burdens economic development.

The petition alleged that the respondents --- Nepra and DISCOS --- were overbilling consumers to maximise revenue.  It requested the court to direct the respondents to submit a detailed report on consumption and billing for the last year. It further requested the court to direct DISCOS to refund excess amounts to consumers and to take action against the responsible parties. The court will take up the petition after the Eid break.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2014.