PHC moved against heavy gas loadshedding in KP

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) was moved on Tuesday against Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) chairman, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources secretary and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) regional head to seek initiation of contempt of court proceedings against the officials for violation of the judgment of the court by continuing excessive gas loadsheddsing in the province.

Lawyers, including Muhammad Arif Khan, Abbas Sangeen Khan and Shakeel Aman filed contempt of court petition in the high court. Arbab Saqib, SNGPL regional chief, federal government through secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, secretary, Ministry of Petroleum, Ogra chairman and secretary, Intra-Provincial Coordination of Natural Resources Authority were named as alleged contemnors in the petition.

It was submitted that the petitioners were residents of Peshawar and gas consumers. "In 2011, consumers had challenged the excessive gas loadshedding in the high court as supply of gas remained suspended for weeks and months," the petitioners stated in the petition.

It was stated that the high court in year 2011 gave a detailed judgment in favour of the petitioners after detailed arguments from both lawyers for the consumers and law officers, representing the federation in the case.

It said that the case was decided in view of Article 158 of the Constitution. The high court had allowed the petitions and directed the respondents to adhere to the letter and spirit of the Article 158 of the Constitution while dealing with the petitioners and all other stakeholders in the province while supplying natural gas.

The lawyers submitted before the court that now the authoritative judgment had become a law and respondents could not violate the law. They argued that the judgment cannot be bypassed.

"Nowadays the respondents have blocked the supply of gas and started excessive loadshedding, [despite] knowing the law, Article 158 of Constitution, and ruling of the court, which has become a law," the petitioners submitted.

It was submitted that the respondents had created great hurdles to the people of this province by enforcing heavy loadshedding in the province. The petitioners prayed before the bench that the respondents had committed willful contempt of this court by gross violation of the judgment of this court and Article 158 of Constitution. They prayed the court to start contempt of court proceedings against them.