The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday issued notice to Water and Power Ministry, Privatisation Commission (PC), Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC), and others for July 10 on a petition against deteriorating electric supply situation in Karachi.
Petitioner-advocate Nadeem Ahmed Sheikh submitted in the petition that despite inhabitants of Karachi were paying their bills to the KESC regularly, they were facing shutdowns in hospitals, schools, offices and homes and the level of magnitude was unprecedented in the history of Karachi.
The petitioner said he and other residents of Karachi had lodged complaints with the KESC but no avail, contending the conduct of the respondents was totally contrary to the essential spirit of the Article 9 of the Constitution and negated the fundamental right of the life of the petitioner and residents of Karachi.
He demanded appointment of sitting or retired judge of SHC to look into the entire matter and submit its findings before court at the earliest.
Naming the Water and Power Ministry, the Privatisation Commission, KESC, Hasan Associates, Premier Mercantile Services and Siemens Pakistan Engineering Limited, the court was prayed to direct the respondents to explain exact causes of the fast deteriorating electricity supply situation in Karachi and submit comprehensive plan of saving citizens from current crisis.
The petitioner also sought production of all documents relevant to issues raised in the petition, including the sale agreement between the Privatisation Commission and the KESC and Hasan Associates and related copies of plan based on which the KESC was sold.
The interim injunction was also sought, directing the KESC in meantime to stop forthwith unannounced loadshedding and all schedules of loadshedding must be notified through electronic and print-media at least one day before.
The SHC division bench, comprising Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Mohammad Afzal Soomro, after preliminary hearing of the petition issued notice to respondents for July 10 and called their comments.