The Peshawar High Court has dismissed all petitions challenging the government's decision to withdraw the facility of free electricity units for employees of power distribution companies (DISCOs), including PESCO and TESCO, thereby upholding the government's policy.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Farah Jamshed ruled that reforms in the power sector are part of the government's policy framework, and judicial intervention in such matters is not appropriate.

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In its verdict, the court observed that although the WAPDA Service Rules initially had statutory status, their application to DISCOs made them administrative in nature. Therefore, the government has the authority to amend or withdraw such benefits.

The petitioners argued that, as employees of DISCOs, free electricity units and other benefits formed part of their terms and conditions of employment and constituted a vested right that could not be withdrawn by the government.

The court rejected these arguments and dismissed all the petitions.

It is worth noting that the Peshawar High Court had granted a stay order against the government's decision in December 2023. With the latest ruling, that stay order has now been vacated.