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Summary The SC sought tenure of rental plants imported machines, details of owners and payment of customs.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhmmad Chaudhry said that it is impossible for a minister to become above of responsibility after parting from office. He is not a section officer; rather he makes policy, he said.A two-bench of Supreme Court led by Iftikhar Muhmmad Chaudhry conducted hearing of the suo motu notice regarding rental power projects.Federal Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf’s counsel, Wakeel Sajjad, argued that three contracts of rental power projects were signed when Raja Ashraf was a minister. “There was shortage of electricity in the country. People were raising voice against shortage of power. The only solution to meet this need was installation of rental powers,” he said.Furthering his advocacy, the counsel said that all the projects had been approved by the cabinet; the actual problem lies in tariff settled by NEPRA.The Chief Justice commented that projects were installed without any policy and planning as advance amount was paid after having loan on heavy usury. Transparency was also seldom when contracts regarding rental power plants were signed, the Chief Justice concluded.
