The Sindh High Court Wednesday issued notice to Cabinet Secretary, the Privatisation Commission and the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation for July 11, 2007 on a petition challenging the privatisation of KESC.
The SHC's division bench comprising Justice Sarmad Jalal Usmani and Justice Maqbool Baqar issued notice while hearing a petition filed by Muhammad Akhlaq Khan, Chairman KESC Labour Union and others. Petitioners through Rasheed A Rizvi advocate submitted that the sell of KESC shares and its management control by the federal government and privatisation were carried out without prior approval of the Council of Common Interests and without consultation, which was against Article 154 of the Constitution.
They stated that privatisation of KESC was carried out at time when financial healh of the organisation was steadily improving as per KESC authorities and government's own claims. Applicant's counsel said thousands of employees also were affected by this act of the respondents and prayed to declare KESC privatisation and handing over its control to private company, illegal, arbitrary and irrational, without any lawful authority.