PTI announces protest drive against K-Electric from tomorrow

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members of the Sindh Assembly have announced that they will launch a protest drive against power load-shedding by K-Electric in the metropolis.

“A protest and sit-in will be staged outside the K-Electric office on July 6,” said PTI MPA Raja Azhar. The people of Karachi have selected us and we won’t leave them alone in these testing times, he promised.

He said the PTI also denounced the “high tariff” and “exorbitant billing” being collected by the KE from the people for the past several years.

The PTI leader also questioned the role of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority that never bothered to check the “illegal business operation” of K-Electric.

“It’s a very common and human issue of every Karachiite but unfortunately [those] who are in power in the province claiming to have the mandate of this city are doing only lip service for this basic right of this city’s people,” said Azhar.

He also said the power issue has exacerbated the water shortage problem in the metropolis as many people cannot operate their pumping machines in the absence of electricity.

PTI members have demanded that K-Electric immediately stop load-shedding. The public has called for an end to the power utility provider after unannounced load-shedding increased in Karachi.

Earlier, The K-Electric (KE) had assured Sindh Governor Imran Ismail that it would end load-shedding in Karachi during the next 48 hours.

The assurances were given to Governor Sindh Imran Ismail by CEO KE Syed Moonis Abdullah Alvi in a meeting held at the Governor House.

On Saturday, Governor Sindh Imran Ismail had reprimanded the K-Electric’s chief executive Moonis Abdullah Alvi over the company’s failure to guarantee an uninterrupted supply of electricity to the metropolis.

Governor Sindh Imran Ismail held a meeting with the KE chief, as well as power minister Omar Ayub, through video link. During the meeting, the governor said “K-electric is responsible for uninterrupted power supply in Karachi”. “No negligence can be tolerated in this regard,” the governor added.

He added that in a recent meeting with KE officials had assured that no load shedding will be done in the city but unfortunately, K-Electric has backed out from its commitment.

“K-Electric claimed it will end unannounced load shedding in 48 hours,” Ismail said, adding: “It has not fulfilled its claim.”

Ayub said 800MW power is being given to KE instead of 650MW and that the power utility was also being provided gas up to 280 MMCFD instead of 190 MMCFD.

The power minister said, “There is no shortage of furnace oil supply to K-Electric.” Ayub instructed the KE chief to “ensure timely redressal of grievances of consumers”.