KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) Karachi chief Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has demanded of the government to end the monopoly of the K-Electric to ensure transparency and equality in the electricity production and distribution sector.
The JI leader made these demands at a press conference held at the Saddar market area, here on Saturday, followed by a visit to a referendum camp setup for local traders.
Mahmood Hamid, the president of small traders organization, the president of Cooperative Market Association and other trade leaders also addressed the presser. A large number of traders and scores of people took part in the referendum.
Engr Naeemur Rehman said people of Karachi are compelled to pay fuel adjustment charges occurred due to inefficiency of old electricity production plants, not upgraded by the KE — itself a violation by the private company.
He said Karachiites are also compelled to pay electricity duty that goes to the PPP government in Sindh. Karachiites are compelled to pay for line losses, occurred due to the incompetence and greed of the KE, he said adding that the dwellers are also compelled to pay for liabilities of the private company.
He elaborated that the then president, Asif Ali Zardari had paid in 2009, a sum of rupees equivalent to some Rs200 billion on the basis of dollars rates, in order to pay liabilities of the K-Electric. The Sindh government also receives a handsome amount collected in electricity bills under the head of electricity duty, he said.
The JI leader further said that the KE has become a mafia, enjoying complete support and shelter by political mafias both in the province and the center.
Highlighting the nexus among the KE and political parties, he said that the Governor House in Karachi always plays the role of a facilitator to the KE, no matter the governor belongs to the PML-N or the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
On the other hand, he said, Karachi not only plays the role of an economic nerve of the country, provides livelihood to people from across the country but also contributes significantly to the national exchequer. This year the city posted a whopping 42 percent increase in tax submission.
However, he maintained, the city and citizens have been facing prolonged power outages despite paying excessive bills.
Naeemur Rehman further said that the PPP government in Sindh has badly failed in provision of basic facilities to Karachiites as infrastructure in the city was in shambles, the citizens were facing acute shortage of water, there was no system for mass transit, set aside the education and health facilities.
Despite all its failures in discharging it’s obligations, the Sindh government with the help of a private company desires to collect municipality charges without removing even garbage from the city as the megalopolis wore the looks of a mega dumpster, he added.
He reiterated his demands to revoke the license of the KE, bring in more companies in the sector, and forensic audit of the company’s accounts. The company, in open violations of the agreement with the state, was not intended to end load shedding, despite earning billions of rupees as net profit, he said, adding that the company has posted an increase of 22 percent in the profit this year.
The JI leader said that Karachiites have become sick of both the KE and the PPP government in Sindh. As far as municipal charges in electricity bills are concerned, it was a shameful and condemnable act by the Sindh government and the KE, he said, adding that the JI is going to develop a consensus among the masses over the issue of payment of electricity bills that include municipal charges. The JI will stand by the masses whatever the outcome of the referendum is, he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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