Expressing dismay over lacklustre performance of the people at helm of affairs at Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) who sanctioned exorbitant fees to private lawyers despite having a full-fledged legal department, the Supreme Court directed the federal secretary energy & power division to submit a comprehensive report after conducting forensic audit of pending litigation of the company.
Taking up the SNGPL appeal against Swat Bench of the Peshawar High Court verdict that reinstated services of a meter reader of the company some 23 years ago, a two-member bench of the top court’s Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan found that an Advocate on Record was not present in the case.
During the course of proceedings, Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed observed that the legal team of the company never appeared before the court due to lack of interest whereas managing director of the SNGPL Ali Javaid Hamdani found absolutely blank about the facts of the case.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan said that national kitty is being dented saying in presence of as many as 12 members of the legal team of the company SNGPL was paying heavy fees to other 3 lawyers.
Expressing displeasure, the Chief Justice observed that Sui Northern would become impoverished only by paying the lawyers’ fees saying millions of rupees are being lost due to non-compliance with lawsuits. However, the federal secretary energy & power division assured the bench that he will issue directives to Sui Northern Board to conduct forensic audit of the backlogs of cases of the company.
Later, the bench suspended Peshawar High Court verdict amid granting a two-month time to federal secretary energy & power division to submit forensic audit report in the matter.
