BHC issues contempt notice to SSGCL officials over gas outages, unfair billing

QUETTA: The Balochistan High Court (BHC) has expressed strong displeasure over prolonged gas outages, unfair billing and inadequate gas supply in the province, directing the issuance of contempt of court notices to senior officials of the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL).

A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Rozi Khan Barrech and Justice Sardar Ahmad Haleemi issued the orders during the hearing of the case Syed Nazir Ahmed Agha vs Federation of Pakistan. The court observed that SSGCL’s repeated violations of court orders and its discriminatory treatment of Balochistan’s citizens constitute a clear breach of Articles 25 and 158 of the Constitution.

In another case, the BHC dismissed a constitutional petition challenging the nomination and election of Awami National Party (ANP) leader Aimal Wali Khan to the Senate from Balochistan, ruling that his candidature and election fully complied with constitutional and legal requirements.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Kamran Khan Mulakhail and Justice Gul Hassan Tareen announced the verdict on a petition filed by advocates Muhammad Ali Kinarani and Hazrat Ali Kakar. The petitioners had requested the court to annul Aimal Wali Khan’s nomination and subsequent election as Senator from a general seat of Balochistan, arguing that he was neither a resident nor a registered voter of the province.