Gas Utility Courts In Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court ruled that Gas Utility Court has exclusive jurisdiction to adjudicate upon all matters under the Gas (Theft Control and Recovery) Act, 2016.
The judgment authored by Justice Ayesha A Malik said under the Act, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) does not enjoy concurrent jurisdiction with the Gas Utility Court.
It said OGRA is, at best, a dispute resolution forum where disputes may be resolved informally; however, the Gas Utility Court is a court with all its inherent powers which has the authority to adjudicate upon and award punishment against offences made out under the 2016 Act, it added. The OGRA has approached the apex court against the Islamabad High Court and the Lahore High Court judgments.
