ISLAMABAD: In a unique case, a citizen won a legal battle to remove a transformer from outside his house after 22 years.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) to remove the transformer from outside his house in one month.

The power utility has been fined one lakh rupees by the court for violating the fundamental rights of the citizen. It also ordered the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and IESCO to choose a new location for the transformer.

In the verdict, the court said the transformer should be moved to a new place within 30 days. It ordered to submit the implementation report to the high court’s Deputy Registrar.

IHC Justice Babar Sattar issued the verdict on the petition of Muhammad Younis Malik, a resident of Sector G-10 of the federal capital.

The petitioner, who was an Overseas Pakistani, said that IESCO had installed a heavy transformer outside his house in 2000 when he was working abroad.

The petitioner said the transformer poses a safety hazard for this family as it has been installed outside the house. According to the petitioner, IESCO has sought charges for removing the transformer.

The federal ombudsman ordered IESCO to resolve the issue on the request of the petitioner over charges to remove the transformer. On 27 December 2018, NEPRA rejected the petitioner’s plea to remove the transformer.

The court verdict said IESCO maintained that the transformer was installed as per the approved plan of CDA. However, IESCO could not present the plan in court.

The plan was approved in 1980 when IESCO did not exist, the court said. The CDA said the installation of the transformer is in violation of the plan. The court eventually ruled in favour of the petitioner.

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