SC orders power ministry to present RPPs record

The Supreme Court sought complete record of the Rental Power Projects (RPPs) from the Ministry of Water and Power, Dunya News reported on Thursday. A three-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry heard the case of rental power houses. Parliamentary leader of the PML-Q in the National Assembly Faisal Saleh Hayat told the court that RPPs would cost $1.4 million for 1 megawatts electricity, adding that as much money could be utilized on indigenous resources for generation of 10,000MW power. He said that Raja Pervez Ashraf has bough a flat worth 4.3million pounds in London. He lamented that he could not get justice by the parliament and that was why he moved the apex court regarding the issue. The CJ Chaudhry said about the Nepra Chairman that the Senate adopted a consensus resolution against his appointment; the resolution was one of its kind, adding the man in question had been the Principal Secretary to the former Prime Minister. Faisal Hayat said in arguments that the rental projects with 1500 Megawatts capacity were approved; but, nobody knows why after some days, the summary of additional 750 MWs was sent to the Cabinet. The minister claimed these rental projects included kickbacks worth over $400 million with benefit to be skimmed off by two top political personages. Faisal pleaded the court to ask the Nepra on rental power tariffs and fare decided for a cargo company. The apex court demanded the ministry of Water and Power to present to the court the record regarding rental power projects including rental power policy, drafts of agreements, causes and conditions. The court has been adjourned till October 21.