ISLAMABAD: A Supreme Court bench on Tuesday ordered enforcement of Section 26 of the NEPRA law in suo moto hearing of Sindh load shedding case.

A division bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed heard the case. “Under the law the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has been empowered to conduct public hearing and take a decision,” the bench said.

The electric power regulator should take decision under the NEPRA law about special power to K-Electric for supply of electricity, the court said.

The court also ordered for appointment of the members of NEPRA tribunal within 10 days. “No court could issue stay order over the use of powers under Section 26 of the NEPRA law,” the bench remarked.

The court also dismissed the stay order over the power regulator’s action against K-Electric. The bench summoned report from NEPRA with regard to its proceedings over the matter.

Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed in his remarks during the hearing said that the K-Electric didn’t pay a penny to the government since 2015 but “You people still appeasing them”. The top judge blasted the Power Division over its report and asked “why the joint secretary should not be relieved from his job over “such report”.

“We summoned report over the current situation, they wrote the story of future,” the Chief Justice of Pakistan said. “The officials of power division if sent to Karachi, people will receive them with stone-pelting,” Justice Gulzar Ahmed said. “They will come to senses when visiting Karachi,” the chief justice said. NNI