ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard the case pertaining to the delay in the installation of power plants, DawnNews reported.

A two-member bench of the Supreme court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry heard the case.

The apex court  issued notices to former law minister Babar Awan, former law secretary Masood Chishti and others party to the case, before adjourning the hearing until Nov 7.

During the hearing, Chief Justice Iftikhar remarked that according to the report submitted by Justice (retd) Rehmat Hussain Jafri's one-man commission, the delay in the installation of Rs29 billion 425MW combined cycle power plant in Nandipur (Gujranwala) and 595MW Chichunki Malian power project had caused the national exchequer to suffer a loss of Rs 113 billion.

The petitioner, MNA Khawaja Asif of the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), told the court that the estimate of losses mentioned in the report encompassed the past three years and if the two years prior to the period that were accounted for as well then the looses would amount to approximately Rs 150 billion.

Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja said in his remarks inquired as to why these matters were not resolved in the parliament, to which the PML-N lawmaker replied that the matter was brought to the court as the parliament had failed to resolve it.

Earlier in May, the Supreme Court had taken up Asif's petition against the delay in the installation of Rs29 billion 425MW combined cycle power plant in Nandipur (Gujranwala) and 595MW Chichunki Malian power project.

The Supreme Court had formed a one-man commission (Justice (retd) Rehmat Hussain Jafri) to look into factors behind the delay in fulfillment of contracts for the two power projects.

The commission had reported that the national exchequer had suffered a loss of Rs113 billion because of the delay in the fulfillment of contracts relating to Nandipur and Chichunki Malian power projects.

The Supreme Court had directed the government to determine 'responsibility' for the delay because the contracts were meant to tide over the rising electricity shortfall.

The delay affected the national exchequer adversely.

The bench stressed the need for finding out who were the people holding charge during the period when the delay was caused in finalising the two power projects so that notices could be issued to responsible persons.