Stakeholders apprehend one-sided decision in favour of K-Electric regarding the hike in the electricity tariff for Karachi. The fear was due to a hearing of National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on the tariff hike in Islamabad instead of Karachi that compelled Karachi-based stakeholders to stay away. The KCCI, which is the main platform for traders and industrialists of this port city, boycotted the event for that reason.
"The way things are going on, we fear the NEPRA will give a one-sided decision against the Karachi's public and traders," Ahmad Azeem Alvi, chairman public sector utilities, power and gas at the KCCI told the Business Recorder.
The KE consumers particularly traders had repeatedly demanded that NEPRA must hold hearing in Karachi because the matter was related to Karachi'ites but they held it in Islamabad on Thursday forcing the stakeholders to stay away from the proceedings.
Abu Bakar Usman, general secretary of Pasban was also sure that NEPRA tilted in favour of KE by not holding hearing in Karachi. "The hearing in Islamabad means no attendance from Karachi and that means no comments, no objections from consumers. How the FCA approval can be justified," he asked.
He said a petition lacking details was reported on January 19 but details of the petition were not uploaded at NEPRA Website till January 22 due to which consumers and other stakeholders remained unable to submit comprehensive comments/objections because of no working sheet of FCA data. He contested the legal status of the hearing in absence of the details of petition saying that summary was not acceptable and details should have been released earlier.