February 29, 2008	Friday	Safar 21, 1429

KARACHI, Feb 28: The arrangements made through the lease in the case of the Lakhra Power Plant are not privatization under Ordinance LII of 2000 but are a lease for a specific period.

This was observed by a division bench of the Sindh High Court comprising Justice Munib Ahmed Khan and Justice Syed Pir Ali Shah in its order passed on a petition filed by a labour union.

The petitioner, Zonal Labour Union Lakhra, had challenged the privatization of the Lakhra Power House, Jamshoro, through Advocate Mujeeb Pirzada, submitting that the privatization of the Lakhra powerhouse was not in the interest of the government, nor in the interest of the state and that the workers would be rendered jobless after privatization.

It prayed that the court declare the privatization of the powerhouse illegal and thus protect the future of its 446 workers.

The counsel for Wapda, Advocate Shahid Hamid, contended that the process should not be considered privatization as the plant was given to a bidder on lease for 20 years.

The bench observed that the terms of lease reflected that it was in the interest of the plant, employees, public and the country.

Through Clause 2 of the lease deed, the lessee had guaranteed protection to workers’ salaries and social and retirement benefits, the bench observed.—PPI