LAHORE, Oct 28: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday allowed the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) to issue a fresh tariff for textile mills, if necessary.

The court allowed issuance of fresh tariff during the hearing of a writ petition filed by the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association challenging repeated increases in power rates by Wapda and Lesco.

The petition filed by Aptma against Wapda and Lesco was argued by Barrister Syed Ali Zafar and Rashid Mehmood Advocate before the LHC on Tuesday.

Aptma counsel Barrister Syed Ali Zafar contended that determination of tariff was by law an open procedure starting from filing of petition by any distribution company (such as Lesco) seeking determination of tariff and culminating in the decision made by Nepra and during the whole process an opportunity of hearing had to be provided to all stakeholders and interested parties who were invited through public notices and were referred to as interveners.

Lesco and other Discos had, however, increased the tariff without any valid determinations and hearings. The counsel contended that asking for revisions time and again by Lesco from Nepra was an illegal act the ulterior motive of which was simply to gain more money from Aptma causing thereby irreparable sufferings to the members.

The LHC had already stayed the implementation of the existing tariff. The government was considering the matter afresh in a committee in which the stakeholders were also discussing the matter.

Lesco counsel Ilyas Khan submitted that the earlier order of the court be clarified so that the companies could be permitted to issue new electricity tariff. The court in the circumstances allowed issuance of fresh tariff, if necessary.