The Lahore High Court (LHC) upheld the government’s decision to withdraw free electricity units for Grade-17 officers of the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) and power distribution companies (DISCOs), declaring the policy lawful. The LHC issued this verdict after hearing petitions filed by the GEPCO Engineers and Officers Association, which challenged the government’s move to discontinue the benefit.
In a detailed 14-page written verdict, LHC judge Malik Javed Iqbal Wain ruled that the facility of free electricity units is not a fundamental or legal right and dismissed all petitions while endorsing the Ministry of Energy’s policy decision. The court observed that free electricity units were a service-related facility, not a legally protected entitlement.