Supply of additional 100 megawatts to KESC: issue to be taken up with power minister, says Mirza

Provincial Minister for Home, Prison, Forest and Wildlife Dr Zulfiqar Ali Mirza assured business community to take up the issue of supplying 100 MW additions power by WAPDA to KESC with the concerned minister and Wapda officials so that the load shedding in the city could be ended.
Addressing small traders at Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) here on Tuesday, he said that that the government is well aware of power crises and federal minister for Water and Power has taken several measures for energy conservation to reduce magnitude of the problem.
Regarding the complaint of business community that they were not consulted before taking the decision of Friday off, the minister said that the decision was taken in a hurry.
He asked KCCI to form a five-member committee comprising members of KCCI, home ministry and KESC to review the decisions of Friday off and early closure of shops. He assured that police would not force shopkeepers to close their shops at 9 pm or on Friday.
Referring to law and order, he said that out of 72 kidnapped persons 60 had been recovered and hopefully the rest would also be recovered soon. Dr Zulfiqar Ali Mirza said that police constables are performing their duties in a very unfavourable condition. He noted there disparity of Rs 1400 between the salary of police officials of Sindh and Punjab.
He asserted that mobile phone snatching incident have been reduced considerably. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Executive Officer, Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) Lieutenant General Syed Muhammad Amjad (Retd)said that KESC is facing around 245MW power shortage due to which it has no option but to carrying out 7.5 hours load shedding in the city.
Demand and supply gap is increasing day by day, he added However, he said WAPDA has started supply of additional 100 MW from Tuesday and now the load shedding duration would be reduced to 5 hours.
He informed that 70 percent work on 220 MW power plant has been completed. Contract for setting up a 560 MW power plant is likely to be signed by Saturday, he added. The CEO said that KESC has installed 900 new PMT, laid 250 KM underground wire. Some grid stations have been commissioned. The small traders present in the meeting rejected government decision of closing shops by 9 pm.
Siddique Memon criticised government for not consulting stakeholders before the decision early closure of shops. He said that the shopkeepers would not close their shops by 9 pm. Javiad Shaikh said that KESC is supplying power only for 2 to 3 hours in a day Atiq Meer said that the business community would observe Sunday as holiday and Friday as working day. Mahboob Alam said that the business community is ready to close shops by 9 pm provided with there will be no load shedding during day.