NEPRA takes notice of electrocution deaths in Karachi

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has taken serious notice of the deaths caused by electrocution during heavy rains in Karachi and formed a three-member committee to probe the K-Electric’s alleged negligence in the issue.

According to a statement, the regulatory authority has received 57 complaints of deaths from electrocution in Karachi so far.

It further said after a thorough investigation, the authority will present a comprehensive report to the officials of NEPRA.

After receiving the report, NEPRA will decide whether legal action should be taken against K-Electric or not, it added.

Sources said that the committee members — during the course of the investigation — will seek details from families who lost their loved ones due to electrocution in the monsoon season.

The spell of monsoon rains in Karachi from July 6 to August 12 resulted in multiple people dying from electrocution.

According to a press release by the power regulatory body, NEPRA’s committee will be headed by the director-general of monitoring and enforcement.

Nepra invited residents of Karachi to report electrocution cases “along with evidence” by sending an email to keelectrocution@nepra.org.pk “at the earliest”.

Last month, K-Electric CEO Moonis Alvi and another senior official of the power utility had secured protective bail from the Sindh High Court (SHC) in two cases related to deaths that occurred due to electrocution.

The KE chief along with Distribution Head Amir Zia had approached the SHC to seek pre-arrest bail in the cases registered against the management of the power supplier.

The court approved the seven-day bail against surety bonds worth Rs50,000 in each case and directed them to cooperate with the authorities in the investigation.