ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani Monday summoned Minister for Energy Omar Ayub on Friday to give a statement in the House on the issue of two federal agencies reportedly resisting the award of electricity transmission license to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that was its constitutional right under Article 157(2) of the Constitution.
PPP Senator Mian Raza Rabbani raised the matter in the House. Another issue pertaining to the proposed privatisation of 10 power distribution companies (DISCOS) was also referred to the standing committee concerned of the House for deliberation and report.
The chairman said since the matter came under the Federal Legislative List, Part-II, therefore, it must have been decided by the Council of Common Interests (CCI).
Referring to a news report, Rabbani said the centrist mindset against the provincial autonomy ran through the political parties as well as the governments. He noted that the Central Dispatch and Purchasing Agency and National Transmission and Dispatch Company had opposed the award of license to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which wanted to regulate 7,300MW power supply system over a period of five to ten years.
The PPP senator explained that Article 157 (2) dealt with all issues relating to electricity and which a provincial government could do, including generation, transmission and levy of tax and construction of power houses. The objection, he said, was that it ran contrary to the Nepra law. He, however, asserted that whether Nepra law or any other law, relating to electricity, which would be in negation to Article 157(2), would be void to that extent.