SC seeks report on outstanding dues of KWSB

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday directed the federation to submit a detailed report pertaining to payment of outstanding dues by Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) to K-Electric Limited.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali while hearing the case directed Attorney General for Pakistan office to consult with the Secretary Ministry of
Finance and submit a detailed report on outstanding dues
by KWSB to K-Electric Limited.

K-Electric Limited challenged a Sindh High Court division bench’s verdict making the KWSB through its Managing Director, Federation of Pakistan through Secretaries Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Water and Power, Province of Sindh through Secretary Local Government and City District Government Karachi through its administrator as respondents.

Appearing on notice, government attorney submitted before the court that KWSB was a government department so K-Electric could not treat the department like a routine customer saying a list of customers of the K-Electric included Governor House, army base and other important installations so how the company could disconnect the power supply of these customers.

Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali questioned as to whether power supply of KWSB should not be disconnected even it failed to pay the outstanding dues of the K-Electric.

The chief justice observed that government had not taken measure to resolve the issue of outstanding dues of Rs36 billion to K-Electric.

The government counsel however, submitted that federal government would pay the outstanding dues being a guarantor in the matter.