Business community of Karachi has warned the government that they will go to any extent if the government failed to make public the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC)''s privatisation agreement with present owners in next 24 hours.
They also wanted of KESC to announce what fault occurred in power supply due to rains and time period they required to ratifying the defects in next 24 hours.
Leaders of business community claimed that they enjoy full support of the community and they can close down their units if they give a call to do so.
Addressing a joint press conference at Karachi Press Club, Leader of Businessmen Group (BMG), Siraj Kassim Teli said that KESC was privatised to improve working of the utility but instead of improving, it deteriorated further.
Lashing out on the management of KESC, he said it is for the first time in the history of KESC that after rains, power failed and it could not be restored after passing of nine days.
Siraj Kassim Teli demanded of the government to public the privatisation condition documents of KESC within next 24 hours.
He also demanded of the KESC to reveal to the public about the details of faults occurred due to rain and its plan to rectified them and time period it required to do so.
He said that in case of failure to public the privatisation agreement and announcing plan to rectify defects, the business community will be free to decide its future course of action.
President, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Haroon Farooki said that all major markets including Jodia Bazar, Cloth Market, Sadar, Paper market etc, are without electricity after passing nine days, which hampering business activities adversely.
He urged the management of KESC to rectify the deficits without any wasting time.
Chairman, Site Association of Industry (SAI) Amin Bandookda said that over 40 percent industrial units are still without power in Site industrial area.
He said pointed out that a meeting was held with KESC officer who assured that power would be restored by Friday but these promises remain unfulfilled.
He said that due to power failure, Site area alone suffered around Rs 8 billion production and 100 million dollars exports losses in last 9 days.
He said that many industrialists of Site area have threaten to close down their units, lay off workers and stop payment of KESC bills.
He demanded of the government to allow more companies to establish their power supply units in the city to banish monopoly of KESC.
He also demanded that transmission and distribution be separated.
Former President of KCCI, Zubair Motiwala demanded that Karachi be declared calamity hit area and army engineering core be assign task to restore power supply in the city.
He demanded that payment of KESC bills should be differed for a month whose units remains closed for six days and fix charges should be waved.
Former Chairman SAI, Majied Aziz demanded that inquiry should be initiated against KESC management about utilisation of 100 million dollars grant given for improvement of KESC services.
He demand that a representative of KCCI be included on the board of directors of KESC, Sui Southern Gas Company and Karachi water and sewerage Board.
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