Chief Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif adjourned the hearing of a petition moved by Jamaat-i-Islami through its Punjab Amir Dr Waseem Akhtar for February 19 and directed Nepra and federal government to submit their written reply as well. Deputy Attorney General Amirur Rehman pointed out this during the hearing of a petition challenging recent 18 percent increase in electricity tariff.
He said determination of electricity tariff is purely a federal subject and this could be substantiated by going through article 142 of the constitution read with concurrent list (entry-34).
Nepra Counsel said the body could only send its recommendations about electricity tariff to the federal government, which takes the final decision in this regard. The petitioner through his counsel contended that under article 157-D of the constitution, the federal government or Nepra had no authority to determine electricity tariff as only provincial governments could do the same. He said Nepra was formed in sheer violation of article 157-D and it should be abolished at all. He requested the court to set aside notification under which electricity tariff was enhanced.