Islamabad(May 08, 2018): Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar took notice of zero power generation by Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power and Bhikki power plants on Tuesday.
The chief justice sought a answer from the federal and the Punjab government regarding zero power generation by both power plants.
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“Bhikki Power Plant has not even produced a single megawatt of electricity,” Justice Nisar remarked.“The Punjab government built power companies and should submit a reply on their progress,” the CJP added.
Justice Nisar further remarked that cases are emerging regarding lack of power generation by other power plants as well.
Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power Limited is a public-sector for-profit company established by the Punjab government as the first-ever utility-scale solar power plant in the country in 2013, which commenced commercial operation in 2015. The first unit of the project was inaugurated in 2015 by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Bahawalpur.
Earlier today, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar ordered an inquiry against the country’s former aviation head Shujaat Azeem and directed to place his name on the Exit Control List (ECL) over his alleged mismanagement of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
The orders were given as a three-member Supreme Court bench heard the suo motu case on the national airline’s reported privatisation and poor financial conditions.
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After having been summoned, Azeem and the present aviation adviser, Sardar Mehtab Abbasi, appeared in court today.
Directing his fury at Azeem after receiving a briefing on the airline’s poor financial health, the chief justice remarked that it is in his tenure that the major loss occurred, adding that Azeem cannot leave the country.
Azeem’s name was then ordered to be placed on the ECL and he was directed to submit a written response.
Moreover, the court ordered the National Accountability Bureau to file a reference against him after holding an inquiry.
When Azeem said the losses did not occur in his tenure, the chief justice wondered whether angels descended down and consumed billions of rupees then.
The chief justice also remarked during the hearing that the court is well aware how and why Azeem was made the aviation chief.
In the present government’s tenure, Azeem served as the prime minister’s aviation adviser as well as special assistant on aviation but had to resign from both posts after the Supreme Court’s intervention on various illegalities.
Earlier Shujaat Azeem and Sardar Mehtab Abbasi were summoned by Supreme Court in PIA Privatization case today.
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On April 12, The Supreme Court of Pakistan halted the privatization bid of the Pakistan International Airlines and said that the government should take the apex court into confidence before privatizing the institution.
The decision came from the chief justice of Pakistan, who was heading a three-member bench hearing a case pertaining to privatization of the national flag carrier in the apex court.
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During the proceedings, the apex court directed to place names of all managing directors of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in service during past 10 years on Exit Control List.
Earlier the counsel of the national flag carrier presented the audit report of last nine years and on a query regarding the privatization of the airline told the court that 96 percent of the shares are still with the government and only it has the power to take decisions.
Responding to a query, the counsel informed the court that current value of PIA’s share stood at Rs5. He informed that the PIA suffered a loss of Rs44 billion in 2013, Rs37 billion in 2014, Rs32 billion in 2015, Rs45 billion in 2016 and Rs44 billion in 2017.
On March 31, the court ordered a bar on new appointments in the airline and also issued notices to defence minister, chairman PIA and federal government.
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The court has sought the details of the profit earning routes which were closed in last six months. Court naming defence minister, chairman PIA and federal government as respondent issued notices for appearing before the court on next hearing.
On March 07, the federal cabinet approved privatization of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), more than two weeks after a related cabinet panel gave the go-ahead to privatize the loss-making airline.
The approval was granted during the cabinet’s weekly meeting presided over by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
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