3775/2012 Const. P. K.E.S.C. Labour Union & Others (Petitioner) V/S Federation of Pakistan & Others (Respondent)
Sindh High Court
Bench: Hon'ble Chief Justice Mr. Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi(Author), Hon'ble Mr. Justice Arshad Hussain Khan
Order Date: 21-JAN-21
1. A Divisional Bench of this Court comprising of Mr. Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi and Mr. Justice Arshad Hussain Khan has pronounced the judgment today i.e. on 21st January 2021 in the case of K.E.S.C. Labour Union and others v. Federation of Pakistan and others (alongwith other connected Petitions), whereby, the petitioners have challenged the privatization process adopted by the Respondents Nos.2 and 3 i.e. Privatization Commission through its Secretary and Karachi Electric Supply Corporation Ltd. through its Managing Director in respect of sale/transfer of the shares of KESC for being illegal, irrational and without lawful authority. Whereas, further declaration has been sought to the effect that purported sale and transfer of shareholding and management control in KESC to M/s.Hassan Associates consortium, is void, malafide and opposed to law and public policy. Various other Constitutional and legal grounds were agitated during the course of hearing of above Petitions and after hearing all the learned counsel for the parties, in detail, learned Divisional Bench of this Court through an exhaustive judgment pronounced today has been pleased to dismiss the above Petitions in the following terms: - 62. In view of hereinabove facts and circumstances of the case, the aforesaid petitions are disposed of in the following terms:- a) The privatization process adopted by the respondents No.2 & 3 in respect of sale/transfer of the share of KESC does not violate the constitutional mandate, whereas, substantial compliance of the provisions of Privatization Commission Ordinance, 2000 read with Privatization Commission (Modes and Procedures) Rules, 2001, has also been made, therefore, no interference is required by this Court. Accordingly, aforesaid Constitutional Petitions being devoid of any merit, are hereby dismissed along with listed applications. b) That without prejudice to above finding, we hereby declare that the petitioners have failed to establish the malafide on the part of respondents in respect of sale/transfer of the share to KESC through negotiated sale to a private company, which is otherwise permissible in law and as per rules referred to hereinabove, therefore, the allegation of malafide by the petitioners on the part of the respondents stands rebutted, hence petitions are dismissed on this ground also. c) Nothing has been produced by the learned counsel for the petitioners in support of their submission that electricity being an essential service cannot be privatized, therefore, such plea of the petitioners also stands rebutted and the petitions are hereby dismissed on this account also. 2. Before parting with the aforesaid judgment, learned Divisional Bench of this Court has been further pleased to observe that plea of the learned counsel for the petitioners requiring the Court to take cognizance of subsequent events of privatization, issue directions to the Auditor General of Pakistan for conducting scrutiny and audit of the accounts of the K-Electric (KESC), cannot be acceded in these Petitions, as it would amount to granting a relief to the petitioners beyond the pleadings, while changing the complexion of the proceedings, to the disadvantage of the respondents, which is not permissible in law. However, it has been observed that this aspect of the matter can be agitated as a separate cause before the relevant forum/authority/Court of law, by filing appropriate proceedings, however, subject to all just exceptions and in accordance with law.Full judgment text for this case is not yet available on Pakistan Law Reports. Check the official Sindh High Court case law portal for the complete order.
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