SWABI, March 8: Cases pertaining to the disputed outstanding Wapda dues of about Rs553.93, against various industrial units of the Gadoon Aamazai Industrial Estate, are pending before the Supreme Court for about last five years.

It is learnt that these industrial units also include the textile mills of the central secretary-general of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), Saleem saifullah Khan.

Official sources in Wapda told Dawn here on Thursday that Wapda had been trying to settle the cases at the earliest, but due to one reason or another these cases had been lingering on.

They said that the power supply to Latif Shakir textile mills and Alpha Special Steel Casting mill was disconnected due to failure  of the units to renew their bank guarantees. These mills, the sources said, were also closed down after the disconnection of power supply by Wapda.

The sources said that the industries of Gadoon Estate were divided in to three categories through the negative list issued by Wapda House in 1995 to the department concerned, which dealt with the Gadoon Estate.

The negative list industries, the sources said, ceased to avail the 50 per cent rebate in the power tariff from March 8, 1995, while the positive list industries were allowed to enjoy the 50 per cent rebate till June 2, 1997. Besides these, the 20 metal industries established before the formulation of the negative list were allowed only 49 paisa KHW up to June 2, 1997.

The 16 Industries, against whom the cases are in progress in the Supreme Court, included S L Hayat Industries (Rs7038526), Saif Textile Mills (Rs102207462), Gadoon Textile Mills (Rs14,321,072),  MKB industries (Rs1092213), Royal Textile Mills (Rs57,950,158), Hattar   Textile Mills (Rs39,817,836) and Mohammad Ali Industry (Rs8,164,004).

Similarly, the sources said there were Rs61,073,186 outstanding against A J Textile, while Rs888,163, against Rehman Woollen Mill, and Dye Chemical Industry Rs1544399, Pakistan  Mineral Water  Rs6,439,418 and Latif Shakir Textile Rs12,783,800.

While the cases are in progress in the Peshawar high court against Gandaf Steel Mill (Rs16,383,618) and Alpha Special Steel Casting Mill ( Rs20459613).

The sources said that the above mentioned industries were paying 50 per cent amount to Wapda, while for the remaining 50 per cent amount they had furnished the bank guarantees.

The cases, the sources said, were decided by the PHC in favour of Wapda on Nov 25, 1998, but the industrialists had filed appeals in the SC in Dec 1999, due to which Wapda had not been able so far to  recover the outstanding amount from them.

The sources said that till the decision of the Supreme Court and High Court, it was not possible to recover the Wapda arrears and a verdict in that regard was long awaited.