Business leaders' warning to KESC: end industrial areas' loadshedding in 24 hours

Industry and business leaders on Wednesday gave 24 hours' time to Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) to bring an end to the ongoing load shedding in industrial areas. Otherwise, in case of failure, they would stop payment of electrify bills.
Addressing a joint press conference at Karachi Press Club after staging two hours' protest sit-in against Karachi Elect Supply Company (KESC) and ongoing 12 hours long load shedding in industrial areas, leader of businessmen group and former president of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Siraj Kasim Teli, announced the decision of business and industrial community, which was endorsed by Sindh Minister for Industries and Commerce Rauf Siddiqui, chairmen of all seven industrial town associations, leaders of industrialists and small traders.
He said that it had been decided that all industrialists would deposit the electrify bills with their respective associations, along with pay orders. Teli said that it had also been decided that in case KESC failed to bring down load shedding to zero level, they would close down the industrial units.
He further announced that industrialists are ready to close down their industrial units, lay off 3 million workers and hand over keys of 17,000 industries to the government. "In the present circumstances it is not possible to keep the industrial units operative," he said.
He said that as and when there is shortage of gas supply to KESC, it starts blackmailing the government by using industrialists as a tool to pressure the government to pay the difference between furnace oil and gas (GLMP) to KESC in advance. KESC never intends to operate its units on furnace oil, he added.
He demanded of the government to conduct independent internal audit of KESC so that everybody should know how much revenue it generates and how much electrify it produces on furnace oil and where its revenue goes. Teli expressed fear that days are not far away when KESC management may wind up and fly out of the country.
He said that industrialists have no concern whether KESC is not paying dues to SSGC or SSGC is not supply gas to KESC. Industrialists' only concern is that when they are paying KESC dues on time they must get uninterrupted power supply. Sindh Industries Minister Rauf Siddiqui expressed serious concern over 12-hour long load shedding in industries and 8 hours load shedding in residential areas and said that in Bangladesh, India and other countries of the world governments provide facilities out of the way to keep their industries operative in crisis.
He said that he had discussed the issue with Sindh Governor and expressed hope that the issue would be resolved soon. He admitted that load shedding is destroying industrial production and meeting export commitment difficult. Former chairman of Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), Zahid Husain said that industrialists were facing a number of serious problems including of 12 hours load shedding, water shortage, low gas pressure and its shortage, high mark-up rates, kidnapping, law and other problems, day to day issues created by Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and added that operating industrial units in these circumstances has become impracticable.
He said that industrialists are no more in a position to pay utility bills, taxes and mark-up. He sought intervention of the President and Prime Minister and said that they must direct KESC to ensure continuous power supply to industries, traders and residential areas. Chairman of Sindh Board of Investment, Zubiar Motiwala, said that KESC have no justification to carry out load shedding in industrial areas when it is getting 120 mmcfd gas, power from Wapda at Rs 3.5 per unit and difference between gas and furnace oil prices from government.
President of KCCI Abrar Ahmed said that 12 hours load shedding in industrial areas in 3 spells of 4 hours each actually amounts to 24 hours closure of industries because in given time slot none of the industry can be operated. Teli said that in the privatisation agreement of KESC there is a clause that KESC will provide uninterrupted power supply to its consumers. Earlier, the industrialists staged sit-in near press club, raised slogans against KESC and blocked the road for traffic.
Chairman of KATI Ehtishamuddin, Chairman of Site Association Mohammad Irfan Moton, Chairman of FBAATI Masroor Alvi, Chairman of Site Super Highway Mehtab Chawla, Patron In chief NKATI Noor Ahmed Khan, Majid Aziz, Nadim Khan and others were present in the press conference and sit-in.