KARACHI: The Sindh High Court expressed its resentment over power breakdown, which disrupted judicial proceedings on Thursday.

Justice Salahuddin Panhwar remarked that the SHC was paying around Rs6 million every month to the power utility on account of electricity bills. He said the K-Electric should ensure power supply to the court through a standby generator in such situations.

KE officials and its lawyer informed the judge that a major part of the city was facing a sudden power breakdown due to tripping of the National Transmission & Despatch Company (NTDC) system, which was not under the control of the KE.

Earlier, when Justice Panhwar took up the cases fixed for the day in the morning, the sudden power breakdown caused disruption in the proceedings and annoyed the judge. It also caused unrest among lawyers and litigants present in courtroom in a large number.

Justice Panhwar came down hard on the KE and issued bailable warrants against its chief executive officer (CEO) directing him to immediately appear before him and explain why the breakdown occurred.

The judge also called the SHC registrar, Abdul Razzaq, and asked him whether any solar panel or some other alternative power supply arrangement was available.

The registrar said that they did not have any solar panel, but a generator was available.

Justice Panhwar asked him to look into the option of obtaining a solar panel.

In the meantime, Barrister Arshad Tayebaly along with some KE officials appeared before the judge and explained the situation stating that the breakdown was caused due to a fault in the national grid.

The judge directed them that alternative measure should be taken by the KE to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the high court in case of such breakdowns.

Justice Panhwar also asked them to submit a statement with the SHC registrar about a permanent solution to the issue. Such a statement was later submitted assuring the court of best possible endeavours to ensure an uninterrupted power supply to the court so that proceedings were not disturbed.

The statement, in this regard, mentioned connectivity from the nearest alternative feeder in case primary feeder went offline. However, the KE officials maintained that it was responsibility of public works department (PWD) and its administrative teams to ensure power supply through some alternative source in case of a breakdown on the SHC premises. It said that the KE would also establish technical liaison with the PWD to provide all available assistance in this regard.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2022