The Defence Ministry is silent about transfer of lease, to Wapda and its successor company, of properties located in cantonment areas of Rawalpindi, sources in Wapda told Business Recorder here on Sunday. The issue is being pursued by the Ministry of Water and Power and Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) for past three years, but the Defence Ministry has not responded to any of their letters, they said. They said that under Martial Law Order 85 of 1981, all properties of defunct Rawalpindi Electric Supply Company (Repco) were transferred in the name of Wapda.
Wapda had also effected payment to the defunct Repco, for the land and superstructures, by May 16, 1981. When the issue of corporatisation of Wapda came up, the Ministry of Water and Power asked Defence Ministry for renewal/transfer of lease to Wapda, but the Defence Ministry kept silent and did not even respond to the letters, sources said.
The World Bank is pressing the government for speedy corporatisation of the power sector. Therefore, Ministry of Water and Power once again approached Defence Ministry, saying that in view of corporatisation of the power sector, the title of these properties was required to be formally transferred in the name of Wapda and its successor entities.
According to sources, Chief Executive Officer of Iesco approached Director General Military Lands & Cantonment, Rawalpindi, for the transfer of properties to Wapda, but despite the passage of three years, there was absolutely no response on the issue. Resultantly, completion of title transfer of properties in the name of Wapda in Iesco region was stuck up. Meanwhile, Ministry of Water and Power also approached Defence Ministry but so far no response has been received.
Wapda is of the view that any further delay in transfer/renewal of lease of the properties in favour of Wapda would cause irreparable loss to the utility and federal government in privatisation process of Distribution Companies (DISCOS).