KARACHI: The Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered on Wednesday the Sindh chief secretary to resolve a dispute between the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and K-Electric over the payment of unpaid dues.
The KMC had filed the petition in the Supreme Court pertaining to the dispute with the K-Electric.
During the hearing on Wednesday, Mayor Wasim Akhtar said even though local body elections were held, the representatives had not been given any powers. He said he worked day and night under pressure. “How can I pay the bills when we do not have the money,” Akhtar remarked.
At this, Justice Gulzar Ahmed questioned Akhtar what was the good of having a mayor when he could not resolve the problems. “Will the court get the electricity bill issue resolved,” the judge asked. “If you don’t have the money, then shut down everything. Why are you sitting there?”
The counsel for K-Electric informed the court that the KMC owes Rs580 million to the power distribution company.
Mayor Akhtar said the K-Electric had not paid the rent of cables and poles from 1982 to 1998. It amounts to Rs7 billion, he added.
The Sindh chief secretary informed the court that the KMC had paid Rs46 million to K-Electric. He said the K-Electric would be paid another Rs12 million in August.
The court directed the chief secretary to summon a meeting of representatives of both the entities on Thursday to resolve the issue.
The hearing of the case was adjourned for two weeks. NNI