LAHORE - The Lahore High Court Tuesday restored Managing Director of Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) Arif Hameed to his post and directed the company’s board of directors to submit reply by Sept 17.
Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh of the LHC heard the petition filed by Hameed against his removal from the office. The petitioner through his counsel said that he was an engineer and joined the SNGPL in 1978.
He said the company’s BoD appointed the petitioner as MD on Oct 19, 2011 and his term was extended from time to time by the board. The counsel pointed out that the last such extension was granted to the petitioner on Jan 25, 2015 for a period of two years.
However, he said, the BoD through a notification issued on Sept 5, 2015 terminated the services of the petitioner and acting charge of MD was given to Chief Financial Officer of the SNGPL. The petitioner’s counsel contended that the impugned notification was mala fide.
He pointed out that the MD/CEO of the Sngpl could only be removed by the BoD through a resolution passed by 3/4th of the directors or by as many as of the shareholders through a special resolution which had not been passed. Therefore, the petitioner said, his termination was unlawful and liable to be set aside.
After hearing the initial arguments, Justice Mamoon suspended the notification and restored him.
Gas cess case referred to CJ
Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh of the Lahore High Court referred yesterday to the Chief Justice a writ petition challenging Gas Infrastructure Development Cess to fix it before any other appropriate bench.
Advocate Azhar Siddique had filed the petition and challenged the taxes for Gas Infrastructure Cess in the electricity bills. The lawyer-petitioner stated that Ministry of Water and Power and ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources were making people fool while the electricity is not being supplied properly to the citizens.
He pointed out that National Electric Power and Regulatory Authority had imposed extra burden on the nation by collecting taxes in the name of Gas Infrastructure Development Cess. He said Rs11 billion were allocated for the said Cess.
He said Infrastructure Development Cess Act 2015 was contrary to the Constitution and be set aside.Azhar Siddique also argued that these taxes were being charged since 2011 while LNG had been bought against heavy price and ANGRO Corporation was benefited.
He submitted that the project of TAPI and Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline was intentionally delayed. However, NEPRA’s counsel said that Justice Ijazul Ahsan was already hearing the same cases. He pleaded the judge to refer the case to Justice Ahsan. The judge accepted the peal and sent the case to the Chief Justice to fix it before the appropriate bench for hearing.
In another petition, Advocate Azhar Siddique challenged the collection of different surcharges in electricity bills. He said that LESCO wanted to collect Rs 5.5 billion extra money in the name of Gas Infrastructure Development Cess. NEPRA had given seven days to the consumers to deposit electricity bills but the LESCO collect money in the name of late payment surcharges by showing that the bills were paid two days ago against the given deadline.
He prayed the court to stop the LESCO and power distribution companies from collecting such surcharges in the name of late payment surcharges from the consumers. The Court had fixed the petition for today.