Peshawar High Court Suspends Notification Ending Free Electricity for Grade 17 and Above Employees
PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court has suspended government notifications abolishing the free electricity facility for Grade 17 and above employees, granting interim relief to affected workers.
According to court proceedings, a two-member bench comprising Justice Ejaz Anwar and Justice Inamullah Khan issued a written order after hearing a petition filed by employees of the Tribal Areas Electric Supply Company (TESCO) challenging the withdrawal of the benefit.
The court suspended the implementation of government notifications dated December 5, 2023, and May 6, 2026, which had ended the free electricity facility for officers in Grade 17 and above.
The interim order was issued on a writ petition filed against the suspension of the electricity benefit for TESCO employees.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioners, Muhammad Farooq Malik, argued that the free electricity facility forms part of the employees’ fundamental service contract and that its unilateral withdrawal is unlawful. He contended that the move violates Articles 4, 18, 24, and 25 of Pakistan’s Constitution.
The lawyer further argued that the facility had been withdrawn by the caretaker government and maintained that a caretaker administration does not have the authority to affect employees’ rights through policy decisions. He also stated that TESCO is an independent corporate entity and that the government notifications do not conform to the company’s established procedures.
The court directed that the case be fixed for further hearing on June 18, 2026. Until the next hearing, the government’s measures to withdraw the free electricity facility will remain suspended.
