In a significant legal development, the Peshawar High Court issued a verdict instructing the Peshawar Electric Power Supply Company (PESCO) to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to consumers who diligently pay their monthly bills. This ruling aimed to address the chronic issue of power outages that have plagued the nation.
Following this ruling, PESCO escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, expressing concerns over the verdict’s implications. Their plea contended that the PHC’s ruling mandated registering cases against PESCO officials for any instances of load shedding, which, they argued, was unjust given the broader, nationwide issue of power outages.
A three-member bench, led by Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan, took up PESCO’s plea. However, the Supreme Court bench deemed the Peshawar High Court’s verdict to be contrary to the law. They instructed affected individuals to direct their grievances to the National Electronic Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA). According to the apex court, NEPRA and its tribunals are the appropriate avenues for addressing complaints against Distribution Companies (DISCOs). The high court, they emphasized, cannot directly issue such rulings.
This legal wrangling occurs against the backdrop of the caretaker government’s efforts to crack down on electricity theft across the country, with the goal of reducing losses in the power sector and mitigating the issue of circular debt. The International Monetary Fund has also stressed the importance of Pakistan addressing circular debt in the power sector as part of broader economic reforms.
