SC to hear 1090 pleas against inflated power bills on Oct 16

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday announced to hear 1090 petitions against fuel price adjust adjustment on Oct. 16 and decide the case, ARY News reported.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faiz Isa heard the case.

“The court will hear arguments and decide the matter on October 16”, the court announced. “No video link facility will be available on Oct 16, all sides have to arrive in Islamabad to present their arguments,” the court added.

Earlier, CJP Qazi Faez Isa turned down a request for time from the Attorney General. “Attorney General should prepare for case in half hour,” the bench said.

“The AG has not been put on notice in this case, he himself wants to present arguments,” AAG Aamir Rehman said while seeking time for the AG.

“It is okay, if you, yourself in writing say that Aamir Rehman is ineligible to present arguments. We could not become such rude,” CJP said. “I see Aamir Rehman an eligible lawyer able to present arguments in case before the court himself,” Justice Isa remarked.

“There is a pile of cases against power prices,” the CJP observed. Justice Faez Isa ordered the AAG to prepare arguments in the case within half hour while announcing to hear the case after 11:30am.

Power Protests

Inflated power bills triggered country-wide protests from Karachi to Khyber recently which turned violent in some parts of the country.

In Karachi, the people protested against exorbitant bills sent by K-Electric, the city’s sole power supplier. People complained that the bills they are being served are more than their salaries.

In Peshawar, a large number of people took to the streets۔ Citizens say they will no longer sit silent against this ‘injustice’۔ Traders from Ganj Bazaar and Lahore Square also set fire to power bills to record their protest۔

Meanwhile, in Rawalpindi, protesters gathered at Committee Chowk burned bills while demanding that the government should abolish fuel adjustment charges and taxes imposed on electricity.