Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Wednesday said if power distribution system was handed over to provinces, the problem of electricity load shedding might be resolved.
He said this in his remarks during a hearing on load shedding.
The CJP said the decision on shifting the matter to provinces should be taken in a meeting of the Economic Coordination Council (ECC).
He questioned why provinces were not producing electricity after passage of the 18th amendment. NTDC should sell electricity to the provinces while it is the duty of the provinces to take decisions impacting industrial and domestic consumers.
He questioned why some companies were not generating electricity despite having licenses, and in why their permits were not cancelled. Without elimination of “kunda system” load shedding cannot be resolved, he added.
Attorney General Munir A Malik told the court that a meeting of all stakeholders was convened on June 12on orders of the court in this regard, which had positive consequences in minimising load shedding. He said that the government is making efforts to distribute the electricity on equality basis to all areas of the country.
The PEPCO managing director said there was lack of coordination in distribution companies, due to which the condition had worsened. He said if 80 percent of consumers paid their bills regularly, there would be no problem.
The CJP said those who paid bills and those who did not, could not be treated alike. There should be some difference between violators of law and those abiding by it, he said.
He said NTDC could provide electricity to provinces according to their requirements and it return provinces would pay it according to NFC award.
Electricity distribution should be provincial subject: CJP
