ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday directed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government to provide separate electricity meters houses located in the Afghan refugee camps to curtail power theft. A three-member SC bench, headed by Justice Dost Muhammad Khan, delivered verdict while hearing a case pertaining to the provision of electricity to Afghan refugee camps in KP. The court noted that provision of a separate electricity meter for each house in the refugee camps would help curb the number of illegal electricity connections in these localities. Justice Dost Muhammad Khan noted that due to increase in the power tariff, electricity theft was on the rise. “When affordable electricity is out of people’s reach, what else will they do except steal it through illegal power connections? Circular debt worth Rs 400 billion haunts every citizen here,” he said. The court expressed disappointment over the state of Afghan refugee camps in KP. Justice Dost Muhammad Khan noted that Afghan refugee camps were in a miserable condition as these camps were not provided proper living facilities. He said that since Pakistan was signatory to the UN Convention regarding Afghan refugees, hence, they should be charged with the same electricity rate as the Pakistani nationals were being charged. “Poor people have no option, but to get electricity through unfair means (kunda system) as they cannot afford the high electricity bills. Afghan refugees move out of their camps into other localities in search of better facilities and as a result of this resettlement, people of those localities face difficulties. These refugees are asked to leave the country within two months, which is impractical,” he said. He said that the authorities concerned should look into the welfare of these refuges. “Since there is no separate law for collection of separate rate of electricity bills, the government may consider separate legislation for Afghan refugees’ electricity rates. After this, every Afghan national who wishes to apply for an electricity meter for his house in the refugee camp, can be supplied electricity in accordance with law,” he said. He said that Afghan refugees had shifted to various parts of the country, adding that the Peshawar High Court in 2012 had issued orders for controlling the shifting of Afghan refugees from refugee camps. “However, the order was not implemented in letter and spirit,” he said. “Now when people are affected by the Afghan refugees, they demand sending them to their native land,” he said. He said that even the issue of illegal mobile SIMS was resolved after the country faced a tragic incident of Army Public School. The court was informed that there were around 50 Afghan refugee camps in KP. “Authorities had installed only one meter in every refugee camp causing hardships to the dwellers,” the court was informed. The court noted that some people in the camps used air conditioners, while others did not even have light bulbs. “However, they are charged the same electricity rates as the people who use air conditioners,” he said. Published in Daily Times, August 23rd 2017.