Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed all the review petitions against the decision in Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC) case.
A 3-member bench of SC presided over by Justice Mushir Alam took up the review petitions for hearing Monday.
Naeem Bokhari, counsel for private company took the plea during the hearing of the case that government has collected Rs 295 billion from the companies and this money is lying with the government. Therefore, the work should be started immediately out of it. Natural gas production in KP is surplus. The law says that the residents of the area from where the gas is produced have the first right on this gas. The gas has not been provided to Balochistan which is being extracted from its territory. There should be no tax on the gas which is being extracted from KP. In the meeting of Council of Common Interest, KP government opposed to levy tax.
Lawyer Suleman Akram Raja took the plea on the occasion that government should use the available Rs 295 billion before making more recoveries from the companies. Rs 295 is a mammoth amount. Making more recovery should be linked to government requirements. Companies will be able to get appropriate time till Rs 295 are spent. The number of installments should be enhanced from 24 months to 48 months.
Additional Attorney General (AAG) Amir Rehman took the ground that we are going to start the work within six months. I will file the report in the court about all the steps.
Justice Faisal Arab remarked ” identify if there is any deficiency in court’s decision. We are not hearing appeals. The lawyers should give arguments on review petitions rather than on appeals. Is the gas which has been produced owned by the federal government or by provinces.
Justice Mushir Alam while addressing Suleman Akram Raja remarked what is your opinion on giving concessions to the companies or enhancing the installments of recovery,
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah while addressing AAG remarked ” you should not shift so much burden to industry. When it runs then make recovery. Tell the court where are Rs 295 billion which have been recovered. Tell the court what steps were taken after the verdict of the court.
The government while directing the government to recover the outstanding amount in 60 equal installments instead of 24 installments dismissed all the review petitions against the decision in GIDC case.
