Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi has promulgated the Privatization Commission (Amendment) Ordinance 2023, the President’s House said Thursday.
The amendment has been made in Articles 28 to 33 of the earlier Privatization Commission Ordinance 2000. The purpose of the Ordinance is to end unnecessary delay in matters related to privatization, resolution of issues, and compliance in accordance with the principles of law and justice.
Under the amendment, a three-member Privatization Appellate Tribunal will be set up by the federal government, which will have the authority to take up civil and criminal cases related to privatization. The powers given to high courts under the Privatization Commission Ordinance 2000 have been transferred to the Privatization Appellate Tribunal.
President Alvi approved the ordinance by amending the sub-section 2(4) of Section 28 as proposed by the government. He amended the proposal of appointing the retired judge of the high court with the retired judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The other members include a technical and judicial member.
The appeal against the decisions of the Appellate Tribunal will be filed with the Supreme Court of Pakistan within 60 days of the verdict. The Sections 30 and 33 of the Ordinance 2000 have been abolished.
The president approved the Ordinance in line with Article 89 of the Constitution of Pakistan.
Earlier, President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday issued the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2023, an executive order that makes electricity theft a cognizable offense. The president issued the ordinance under Article 89 of the Constitution.
The presidential decree has amended Section 462 (O) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), 1860. Under the ordinance, police will be bound to file a First Information Report (FIR) on the complaint of a government officer of grade-17 or above as well as people nominated by chief executive officers of power distribution companies (DISCOs). According to a press release issued by the Presidency, DISCOs faced difficulties in registering FIRs for incidents of electricity theft. The ordinance will help in controlling approximately Rs590 billion worth of electricity theft in the energy sector.
Minister for Energy Muhammad Ali on September 6 announced the interim government’s decision to amend the Electricity Theft Control Act through an ordinance in order to establish special courts to try people involved in electricity theft.
