The Supreme Court on Thursday sought a concise statement from the government over pleas seeking court''s directives for notification of determination of electricity tariff in accordance with the provisions of the Nepra Act in response to appeals filed against Lahore High Court (LHC) Multan bench''s verdict. A three-judge bench led by Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh asked the Deputy Attorney General for Pakistan Sohail Mehmood to file statement till May 16.

While dismissing all the petitions on April 04, 2016, a single member bench of Lahore High Court, Multan, said that since the MEPCO has challenged the tariff determination before the Islamabad High Court which had passed a status quo order and the new tariff has not been notified, hence the consumer''s will continue to pay the already determined tariff which was higher.

Subsequently, all the petitioners - Khokar Textile Mills and 19 others - challenged the Lahore High Court Multan bench''s decision before the Supreme Court under Article 185 (3) making the Federation of Pakistan through secretary Ministry of Water and Power, managing director Wapda House Lahore, Nepra through its registrar, Multan Electric Power Company through its chief executive and others as respondents. The hearing of matter was adjourned till May 16.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017