JI moves SC against increase in power tariff

ISLAMABAD: The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Thursday moved the Supreme Court against “unjustified increase in electricity tariff by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority and imposition of surcharges, taxes and fee in the power bill by the government”.

JI Ameer Sirajul Haq filed a petition in the apex court under Article 184(3) of the Constitution through his counsel Qaiser Imam, making the Federation of Pakistan through its Secretary Power Division, Ministry of Energy, NEPRA, Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) through its chairman and others as respondents.

The JI questioned as to whether the recent increase in electricity bills by way of levying fuel price adjustments, surcharges, taxes and tariff adjustment in the monthly electricity bills were violative of fundamental rights of citizens of Pakistan, enshrined under articles 3, 4, 9 and 25 of the Constitution.

The petition asked if the Federation of Pakistan and Ministry of Energy had not failed to perform their constitutional duties. It further asked whether NEPRA had not failed to perform its functions, being the sole regulator of power sector in Pakistan. It stated that while determining the tariff it violated Section 31(2)(a) of the NEPRA Act, which cast a duty upon NEPRA to protect its consumers against monopolistic and oligopolistic prices.

The JI submitted that in the month of August, 2023, the entire nation was shocked after receiving their monthly electricity bills, which were unrealistically higher than usual, adding that the people of Pakistan, who were facing unstable political government and serious economic instability, had reached at the verge of committing suicides after receiving their monthly electricity bills.

The JI Ameer submitted that the nationwide protests and rallies were evident of the fact that the people of the country were crying out loud for help but, unfortunately, the federal government and the power sector of the country were not paying any heed to their miseries.

The JI contended that it was time to bring the power sector of the country to the book, as neither the federal government nor the regulator NEPRA was taking concrete steps to regulate the electricity sector.

The JI submitted that non-supply of cheap and cost-effective electricity was violative of Article 9 of the Constitution.