Shortage of petrol: LHC seeks AGP's reply if government failed to form commission

LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan on Thursday hearing petition against shortage of petrol observed that there was a common impression that the affairs of the federal government were being run by unelected special assistants.

The Chief justice asked the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) to submit replies to the petition on behalf of the respondents within six weeks if the government failed to form any commission.

The Chief Justice referring to the different between elected and unelected persons observed, "At the end, unelected persons just grab their bags and return to their offices. But elected persons have to face people of their constituencies."

The attorney general presented minutes of a federal cabinet's meeting on the petrol crisis issue. The Chief Justice after going through the minutes, observed that the minutes of the meetings showed that the government had no sympathy with the people.

Without naming Nadeem Babar, the special assistant to the prime minister on petroleum, the CJ wondered that the special assistant told the cabinet meeting that the reason behind the petrol shortage was panic among the masses.

"Prima facie the cabinet has been misguided and the special assistant running the relevant ministry is responsible for the crisis," the chief justice said to the attorney general asking him to explain what action had been taken against the oil marketing companies.

Whether the OMCs had maintained mandatory stock of 20 days as per their contracts, the chief justice further asked the law officer. Chief Justice lamented that the oil prices were increased on June 26 without a summary from the Ogra and the government claimed that there was an oral consultation with the regulator.

AGP, however, sought time from the court to submit terms of references (ToRs) for the government's commission on the petrol crisis. The CJ said the attorney general was fully empowered to give his advice to the government on the commission. However, he said, the report of the commission will not be binding on the court as a separate judicial order could be passed if the court did not find the report satisfactory.

The AGP said the commission would take six to eight weeks to complete its report. The chief justice asked the attorney general to also look into the ToRs submitted by amicus curiae Awais Khalid for the commission.

Ogra's chairperson Ms Adil told the court that she stood superannuated so her successor should be asked to attend the subsequent hearings. She suggested the court to summon an inquiry report by former chairman of the authority Saeed Ahmad.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020