The Supreme Court Wednesday ordered restoration of the electricity of Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) head office and directed to install sub-meters for employees of KMC, residing parks, administrated by the civic body.
At Karachi Registry, a three-member bench of the SC comprising Justice Maqbool Baqir, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Faisal Arab took up the hearing o disconnection of power to parks of KMC by K-Electric due to non-payment of electricity dues.
Power utility told the bench that KMC has to pay Rs 100.5 million to it on account of electricity bill for the months of April and May this year. KMC attorney told the court that civic body is running into the losses after it received Rs 70 million less funds from Sindh Government.
KMC counsel informed the court that KMC has to pay Rs 170 million to power utility bill, due to which the power supply to its head office and twelve parks it administrated has been disconnected. KE told the court that employees of KMC residing in the parks are also using the power free of cost, at which court inquired as how the employees are using the electricity for personal purposes free of cost.
Metropolitan Commissioner informed the court that sub-meters have not been installed despite our request to KE in this regard. SC ordered KE to restore the power to KMC head office as well as to the parks of KMC. Court also directed to install the sub-meters in the parks for the employees, residing in these parks as well as in the other buildings. Court adjourned the hearing of the cast for July 24, 2019.
Meanwhile, the SC sought the documentary proofs about the corruption in installation of solar lights in Ghari Yasin of District Shikarpur district.
The court issued these directives in the bail plea of contractor Shahid Bashir after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) informed the court that installation of solar lights in the area involved millions of rupees, in which public money was allegedly embezzled.
The NAB prosecutor submitted that no work was done due to corruption in the project as the accused received funds, but didn't undertake the work.
The counsel for the accused contested that work for the installation of solar lights was completed. The SC bench sought the documentary proofs about the work for installation of solar lights and the alleged corruption. Accused Shahid Bashir along with others including government officials are on interim bail in the case.