The concerned members of the Sindh Assembly belonging to the opposition and treasury benches have expressed serious concern over the continued load-shedding of electricity in several areas of Karachi despite the onset of winter.
The members discussing the matter are members of the special committee of the Sindh Assembly which has been formed to look into the affairs of the three electricity distribution companies in Sindh. The meeting of the committee was held on Wednesday under the chairmanship of MPA Fayyaz Butt of People’s Party.
The concerned members of the committee said that with the arrival of winter, there is no moral and legal justification for electricity loadshedding for 14 hours in some areas of the city, despite the huge reduction in electricity demand.
He complained that K-Electric is not following the rules and regulations set by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority. Monis Abdullah Alvi, CEO of K Electric, told the meeting that electricity load-shedding is continuing in several areas of Karachi where 30 to 40 percent of residents are not paying their electricity bills. He said that in areas of Karachi where electricity consumers are defaulting on their electricity bills, they may face prolonged load shedding irrespective of the current weather. He said that K Electric resorted to load-shedding of electricity in the city under forced conditions as it could not disconnect the electricity connections of thousands of non-paying customers. He informed the concerned legislators that in the past, K-Electric staff faced violent attacks when they tried to cut off electricity supply to delinquent consumers.
Later speaking to the media representatives, the chairman of the committee said that he has directed the officials of the electricity distribution companies to hold regular meetings with the concerned institutions.
Lawmaker
Leader of the opposition, Ali Soharri, said that the theft of electricity in the city took place with the connivance of the electric staff. He said that the committee members have warned the CEO of K Electric that if the electricity supply situation in the city does not return to normal, the concerned people will resort to protest. He expressed regret that Jamaat-e-Islami MPA did not attend the committee meeting.