<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" version="2.0"><channel>
                        <title>The Express Tribune</title>
                        <atom:link href="https://tribune.com.pk/feed/kesc" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/>
                        <link>https://tribune.com.pk/feed/kesc</link>
                        <description>The Express Tribune keeps you up to date with all the latest happenings from Pakistan and across the world!</description>
                        <lastBuildDate>Sun, 31 May 26 12:38:36 +0500</lastBuildDate>
                        <language>en-US</language>
                        <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
                        <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
                        <generator>https://laravel.com/</generator><item>
			<title>KE strikes back</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2039796/ke-strikes-back</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2039796/ke-strikes-back#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 23 Aug 19 04:24:32 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[editorial]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Editorial]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2039796</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[KE has a history of absolving itself of the responsibility regarding any shortcoming in its performance]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The residents of Karachi, while continuing to suffer on account of unannounced load-shedding and frequent power breakdowns besides electrocution deaths due to tottering electricity infrastructure, must brace themselves for another shock from the power utility as it seeks to burden its consumers with an additional billing of Rs16.9 billion. K-Electric has approached Nepra with claims that the surge in fuel prices has led to an increase in generation cost which must be passed on to the end-consumers.

Irrespective of what Nepra decides on the K-Electric request, its captive consumers — residential, commercial or industrial — are never willing to buy any explanation or claim from the power utility about its financial health, its generation and distribution, and its service delivery system. It has a history of absolving itself of the responsibility regarding any shortcoming in its performance or obligations to its consumers. It has rather measured swords with almost all institutions, including SSGC, Wapda, KMC, Pakistan Customs, PSO and KWSB, and always managed to have its way. It is a common cliché to refer K-Electric as a state within the state, being accountable neither to the people or its elected representatives nor the executive authority of the government or to judicial pronouncements.

Take the latest issue of over a dozen electrocution deaths in the recent monsoon rains in Karachi. The power utility would dismiss the majority of these victims as deserving this fate for being ‘power thieves’ while belonging to, what it calls, kunda-infested localities. The K-Electric chief, however, believes it was the civic agencies and ‘mafias’ responsible for cable network who must be held accountable for these deaths. Nepra has taken notice of the deaths and has ordered an inquiry to ascertain the failure of the power utility to maintain safety and security measures. But early this month, K-Electric warned the regulatory authority that it would invoke certain sections of Nepra rules to declare ‘force majeure’ — a term meaning that the power utility could not meet its contractual obligations due to circumstances beyond its control. And that would be the end of the story.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23rd, 2019.

Like Opinion &amp; Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/2251759-editorialxfinalfix-15932815781594457933-0/2251759-editorialxfinalfix-15932815781594457933-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>SHC rejects petition seeking release of ex-KESC MD’s murder suspect</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/1047248/shc-rejects-petition-seeking-release-of-ex-kesc-mds-murder-suspect</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/1047248/shc-rejects-petition-seeking-release-of-ex-kesc-mds-murder-suspect#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 15 Feb 16 11:06:16 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[naeem.sahoutra]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=1047248</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Court directs Rangers to allow MQM headquarters’ security in-charge, Minhaj Qazi, to meet his family]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Sindh High Court on Monday rejected a petition seeking the release of security in-charge of MQM headquarters Nine Zero, who is currently being held by Rangers under a preventive detention for 90 days on charges of killing former KESC MD Shahid Hamid.

While disposing the petition filed by Minhaj Qazi alias Asad’s family for his release, the court directed Rangers to allow the suspect to meet his family.

Rangers present Nine-Zero security in-charge in court

Earlier, during proceedings, a lawyer of the paramilitary force told the court that Qazi is being questioned in criminal cases at the Mitha Aram sub jail, where he has been kept under preventive detention of 90 days.

Earlier this month, the Rangers had disclosed Qazi’s arrest, claiming the suspect confessed to have killed Karachi Electric Supply Corporation’s former managing director Shahid Hamid and numerous other people.

“The Rangers have arrested a notorious militant wing’s most wanted criminal – Minhaj Qazi alias Asad,” a Rangers statement had said on February 3. “He (Qazi), during initial interrogations has also revealed several target killings, including a murderer of managing director of KESC Shahid Hamid.”

Following his arrest, the Rangers took Qazi’s 90-day preventive custody after producing him before a Karachi-based anti-terrorism court (ATC). The Rangers’ law officer told the administrative judge, Justice Farooq Shah, about grilling Qazi under Section 11EEEE of the Anti-Terrorism Act contending that the paramilitary force have credible information against the suspect for his involvement in target killings, kidnappings, extortion and other crimes.

Karachi operation: Rangers to be given full powers, says Chandio

Qazi came into spotlight after the March 11 raid at Nine Zero, in which the paramilitary force claimed arresting several suspects involved in terrorism. He was said to have escaped from there. He has non-bailable warrants issued against him in a case pertaining to harbouring criminals and facilitating terrorism.

MQM in a press statement issued on January 29, had condemned the arrest of Qazi saying he was arrested during a Rangers raid at Garden locality.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/1047248-RangersinmobilePHOTOEXPRESSFILEx-1455532980/1047248-RangersinmobilePHOTOEXPRESSFILEx-1455532980.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>KESC workers attempt self-immolation outside Gizri office</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/331354/kesc-workers-attempt-self-immolation-outside-gizri-office</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/331354/kesc-workers-attempt-self-immolation-outside-gizri-office#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 12 08:52:40 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[web.desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=331354</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[One of the workers is reported to be in serious condition and has been shifted to the hospital.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Two workers of the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) attempted self-immolation outside the office located in Gizri on Friday.

One of the workers is reported to be in serious condition and has been shifted to the hospital.

KESC workers have been protesting for over eight months against the management. The resumption of duties of 1,800 workers who had refused to accept the Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS), reinstatement of 577 workers whose services had been terminated and the payment of salary of over four months for all these employees are the demands put forward by the protesting workers.

The workers say that their demands had been accepted during a meeting at the Governor House, but no progress has been made so far.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/thumbs/logo-tribune1588976358-0-450x300.webp" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Senate session: ‘KESC has become an economic terrorist’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/327505/senate-session-rabbani-says-kesc-economic-terrorists</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/327505/senate-session-rabbani-says-kesc-economic-terrorists#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 12 04:30:29 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[zahid.gishkori]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=327505</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Rabbani lashes out at the power utility for ‘fleecing’ the people of Karachi.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Karachi Electric Supply Company’s (KESC) anti-consumer policies came under fire once again in the Senate on Thursday, when a key lawmaker of the Pakistan Peoples Party termed the power company ‘economic terrorist’.

The KESC administration was on the receiving end of Senator Raza Rabbani’s harangue during the eighth sitting of the upper house.

“The KESC management has become an economic terrorist. The company is fleecing the people of Karachi by transferring billions of rupees of profit to its foreign accounts,” claimed Rabbani, who had earlier asked the government to take over the company
as its management had failed to meet contractual obligations.

He was responding to a rebuttal KESC had given, defending itself against the senator’s earlier criticism. “Rabbani’s allegations are baseless,” the company said, urging the government to play its role in ensuring regular supply of electricity to consumers by getting government entities to pay billions in debt.

“The power company owes Rs55 billion to the Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) and other power generation companies,” said Senator Rabbani. “KESC also owes Rs36.775 billion to the Sui Southern Gas Pipelines Limited for the last two years,” added the senator.

During Tuesday’s session, lawmakers had demanded action against the KESC management. Muttahida Qaumi Movement senator Tahir Hussain Mashhadi had demanded that the names of the top KESC officials be put on the Exit Control List (ECL) so that they could not escape with ‘looted money’.

In response, Water and Power Minister Naveed Qamar had assured the House that the licence of the company could be revoked if its management “does not mend its ways.”

Privilege motion

During the question hour on Thursday, the House passed a motion against the secretaries of foreign affairs, finance, cabinet division, production and commerce, for not replying to questions posed by Senators.

Chairman of the Senate referred the privilege motion regarding ministerial absence to the Standing Committee on Rules of Procedures and Privileges.

Rabbani, while submitting privilege motion against federal secretaries, said that it was breach of lawmakers’ privileges when the ministries of finance, foreign affairs, commerce and other departments failed to submit replies to Parliament.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27th, 2012. ]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/327505-Razarabbaniexpress-1327565112/327505-Razarabbaniexpress-1327565112.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>KESC protest: Consumers brace for power cuts as workers plan protests</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/325248/kesc-protest-consumers-brace-for-power-cuts-as-workers-plan-protests</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/325248/kesc-protest-consumers-brace-for-power-cuts-as-workers-plan-protests#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 21 Jan 12 22:36:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[our.correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=325248</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Union leaders fear more employees will be sacked.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) workers fearing retrenchment are gearing up to intensify protests in the coming days, raising concerns that incessant power breakdowns will return.


Last year when the management and union of the power utility locked horns over the removal of non-core staff, Karachi saw some of the worst and prolonged labour agitation.

“There is no bowing out of this situation,” said Usman Baloch, a labour union representative. “We will face baton charge, be beaten and injured but only to come back on to the streets with more determination.”

On Friday, police charged at the protesting workers near Governor House as they tried to stage a sit-in for the implementation of last year’s agreement to bring back sacked employees.

Last year’s protests, which continued for weeks, saw disgruntled employees staying away from work, stopping others from fixing broken transmission lines and occupying service stations across the city.

KESC was successful in convincing 3,000 of the 4,000 non-core workers who included drivers, sanitary workers, bill distributors, metre readers and peons to opt for a voluntary separation scheme or golden parachute.

The concern of the employees is not misplaced either. KESC’s management has made it clear that they can either choose the scheme or be kicked out.

It may seem that just one thousand employees in an organisation that employs close to 17,000 people will not be able to bring the system to its knees like last year but the management is cautious. A KESC spokesman, Aminur Rehman, said consumers don’t get their bills on time when there are protests. “The union workers didn’t let outsourced meter readers do their job for three months. So we had to send the bills based on average consumption, which in some cases was inflated.”

The protesters, he alleged, were also involved in cutting off power lines and hijacking servicing vehicles, which are essential to fix problems with pole-mounted transformers.

“If you look at it, the people who were doing small-time jobs have received a good deal,” he said referring to the voluntary separation scheme. “We had paid them Rs1.2 million on average.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2012.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/325248-kescworkerspo_1735799875/325248-kescworkerspo_1735799875.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Government officials put off KESC workers for another week</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/324792/government-officials-put-off-kesc-workers-for-another-week</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/324792/government-officials-put-off-kesc-workers-for-another-week#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 12 18:35:39 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[our.correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=324792</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Protesters say that they will return to protest next Friday too if their demands are not met.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Once again, government officials assured the workers of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) that their problems and demands will be looked into and solved this week. But the workers don’t seem ready to take the bait and have warned that if it did not happen they will not only return to Governor House but also protest in front of Chief Minister House.

The KESC workers gathered at Fountain Chowk on Friday evening and then marched towards Governor House. On their way, they were met by the police who were ready to tackle the workers with batons and a water canon.

The workers were baton charged when they tried to lead the protest to Governor House. There seemed to be around 500 to 700 people but the protest leaders claimed that there were up to 2,500 employees.

The governor was not present but the officials inside Governor House called a few KESC employees in for negotiations. They assured them that their issues will be looked into once again and they will try and solve them this week.

“We will protest here again if our demands are not met,” said the general secretary of Peoples Workers Union, Latif Mughal. “If the governor does not take steps to implement the management-workers agreement, then we will launch a movement against him.”

The chairman of the labour union, Mohammad Akhlaq Khan, said that 11 KESC employees while on duty in 2011 but the management did not even acknowledge their deaths.

According to him, even the workers who had accepted the voluntary separation scheme by the KESC management were not given the golden handshake as promised. Adding that the company was still kicking out people and the ones still working were not being paid or were being suspended for no reason.

Imran, a KESC lineman, said that it had been a year since he received his last salary. He said that the government did not seem to be serious in solving their problems.

“Since we are a public utility, our issues also affect the public,” he said. “Solving our problems will help in resolving the issues of the people as well.”

Another employee, Mohammad Yaqoob, said that even they were tired of protesting again and again with no results. “But the government feels no shame in calling us here again and beating us up,” he said. “We are not only going through a financial crunch, but are under mental and physical strain as well.” But, Yaqoob said, it only made them more determined to pursue their demands. “Even our neighbours and relatives sympathise with us and sometimes join us in our protests.”

The works began protesting in the early 2011 when more than 4,000 workers were sacked by the KESC management. While the rest of the employees complain that they haven’t been paid or receiving any benefits. According to Khan, there were 7,000 permanent employees and 11,000 contract employees.

Khan said that they had been assured that negotiations will begin and the workers-management agreement, signed on July 26, 2011 will be implemented but there has been no progress so far.

There was a traffic jam at Shahrae Faisal, I I Chundrigar Raod and MA Jinnah Road because of the hour-long protest.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/324792-kescworkerspo_1736778821/324792-kescworkerspo_1736778821.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>For now, court stops dispute resolution body from working in KESC matters</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/324368/for-now-court-stops-dispute-resolution-body-from-working-in-kesc-matters</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/324368/for-now-court-stops-dispute-resolution-body-from-working-in-kesc-matters#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 12 22:34:58 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[our.correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=324368</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Lawyer argues that the National Industrial Relations Commission comes under an old law.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Until the next hearing, the Karachi Electricity Supply Company (KESC) has managed to buy some time as a court has restrained a commission that settles disputes between employers and staff from working.

The Sindh High Court’s restraining order concerns the Karachi bench of the National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC). By relying on changes brought on by devolution, KESC has challenged the commission’s ability to work. It says the commission runs under a law that applies no more - the Industrial Relations Ordinance 2011.

KESC argued that the Industrial Relations Ordinance (IRO) came about in 1969 after which the commission was formed and empowered to settle disputes between employers and employees.

In 2008, the IRO was replaced by the Industrial Relations Act (IRA). But then, the IRA was repealed, as under the 18th Amendment, a number of departments and their powers were transferred to the provinces from the control of the federal government.

KESC further argued that the federal government could not make laws on residual subjects. It also pointed out that while Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pukhtunkhwa made laws after the IRA was repealed, Sindh did not. Instead, it adopted the repealed IRA, said KESC, adding that the commission could not legally function in Sindh after the 18th Amendment.

KESC’s lawyer heavily relied on a judgment of the Supreme Court in a case involving PIA. He maintained that the commission stands abolished and all cases pending before it also stand abated. The IRA was now limited only to the Islamabad Capital Territory, he submitted.

The court was requested to declare that the federal government has no authority to make and promulgate laws on departments that it has transferred to the provinces, to declare that IRO promulgated by the Sindh government without any authority.

In another appeal, KESC’s lawyer requested for IRO 2008 to be declared to be limited to the Islamabad Capital Territory only. He requested the court to restrain the commission from working, or passing any orders against KESC or its officers.

After hearing the initial arguments by KESC’s counsel, the bench issued notices for February 13 and ordered for the status quo to be upheld till the next hearing. The notices will go to the federal law secretary, chief secretary of Sindh and the NIRC bench at Karachi.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20th, 2012.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/324368-sindhhighcourt-1327012458/324368-sindhhighcourt-1327012458.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Power tussle: Businessmen Group files suit against KESC</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/320124/power-tussle-businessmen-group-files-suit-against-kesc</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/320124/power-tussle-businessmen-group-files-suit-against-kesc#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 11 Jan 12 22:09:20 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=320124</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Teli said that the Sindh High Court has been requested to stop KESC from personal victimisation.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Chairman Businessmen Group - the ruling group in Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) - Siraj Kassam Teli has filed a suit on Wednesday against Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) accusing the utility of personal victimisation.


In a KCCI press release on Wednesday, Teli said that the Sindh High Court has been requested to stop KESC from personal victimisation. Teli said that the electricity connections of his home and factory have been disconnected for more than three weeks just because they raise voice against the utility company.

The court order said, “It is hereby ordered that you the defendant (KESC) above named be and are hereby directed that no coercive action shall be taken against the plaintiffs’ factories or residence.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12th, 2012.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/320124-KESCPHOTOFILE-1326318674/320124-KESCPHOTOFILE-1326318674.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Served: Pre-admission notice served to KESC chief</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/316145/served-pre-admission-notice-served-to-kesc-chief</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/316145/served-pre-admission-notice-served-to-kesc-chief#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Jan 12 03:25:56 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=316145</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Petitioner questions KESC's billing process after he receives inflated bill.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A division bench of the High Court of Sindh (SHC), comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Salman Hamid, ordered the issuance of pre-admission notices to the Karachi Electric Supply Company’s chief executive officer for January 12, in a petition filed by a textile loom factory owner M Aleem Asif.


The petitioner states that he installed a number of machines and was receiving a monthly bill ranging from Rs12,000 to Rs18,000. He stated that he regularly paid the bill. However, KESC sent him a bill of Rs170,869 for the month of December 2011. The petitioner questioned the utility’s billing process and asked the court to declare the disputed bill as excessive and not liable to be paid.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2012.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/316145-karachi-1325615470/316145-karachi-1325615470.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Wrong billing: SHC restrains KESC from disconnection</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/313876/wrong-billing-shc-restrains-kesc-from-disconnection</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/313876/wrong-billing-shc-restrains-kesc-from-disconnection#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 29 Dec 11 22:07:58 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=313876</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Power utility compels the consumer pay what is not due.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Sindh High Court on Thursday restrained Karachi Electricity Supply Company from disconnecting electricity supply to a petitioner subject to the payment of current dues.

A resident of Defence Housing Authority, Nargis Haroon, disputed a bill of Rs72,327 for the month of December showing a current charges at Rs2,543 and arrears of Rs69,782.

The petitioner maintained that she was paying her electricity bills regularly every month and the previous bill showed no arrears and suddenly in the bill for December 2011, KESC showed and demanded huge arrears.

She maintained that when she approached KESC billing department officials, they were adamant and forced her to pay the bill as generated.

It was also stated that on December 28, staff of KESC came to disconnect the supply but after objection and persuasion they went back warning that the bill be paid without delay to avoid disconnection.

The bench, comprising Justice Maqbool Baqer and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, after hearing the counsel for the petitioner ordered issuance of notices to the respondents for January 11, 2012.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/313876-KESClogo-1325196412/313876-KESClogo-1325196412.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Kesc protests : Workers union hold year-end presser</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/313907/kesc-protests-workers-union-hold-year-end-presser</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/313907/kesc-protests-workers-union-hold-year-end-presser#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 29 Dec 11 20:15:46 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=313907</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The president took notice of the matter and formed a committee to solve it.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The labour unions of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) will organise the last rally of their year-long struggle against the KESC management for their Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS). According to the chairman of the labour union CBA, Akhlaq Ahmed, they started protests when the management dismissed 4,500 employees on January 19, who did not accept the VSS. The president took notice of the matter and formed a committee to solve it. The then provincial minister for power, Shazia Marri, ordered reinstatement of the sacked workers on January 23 but the KESC chief began to use other methods for getting rid of employees, said Ahmed. They held the salaries and some of them weren’t paid for six months when they were fired.  He was speaking at a press conference at the press club. He said that KESC management lodged fake FIRs against workers who took part in the protest.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/313907-Newsinbriefx-1325182542/313907-Newsinbriefx-1325182542.JPG" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Defamation case: KCCI replies to KESC’s legal notice</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311202/defamation-case-kcci-replies-to-kesc%e2%80%99s-legal-notice</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311202/defamation-case-kcci-replies-to-kesc%e2%80%99s-legal-notice#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 23 Dec 11 22:24:55 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=311202</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[With investment decline, technology transfer also slows down.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) replied to the legal notice of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) by saying that the chamber’s leadership did not ridicule KESC in any form.


KESC in a defamation notice to the leadership of KCCI two weeks ago demanded an unconditional apology and damages of Rs1 billion for offensive remarks made public on December 3, 2011.

The industrialists of Karachi and KESC have been at loggerheads over load-shedding in the industrial areas of city.

KCCI maintains in its reply that it represents 17,000 industrialists and businesspersons. Moreover, that whatever they did was to protect the interests of its members.

KCCI says that the bad performance of KESC is not a secret and that industrialists protested against the 12-hour load-shedding in city, which was completely justified.

They also protested against KESC management in last few weeks at various fronts in city. KESC demands 180 mmcfd gas from SSGC to end load-shedding in industrial areas, which SSGC says it is not able to provide owing to the current winter season in which gas demand is usually high.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/311202-ZafarmahmoodK_1735627004/311202-ZafarmahmoodK_1735627004.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>As citizens suffer: KESC, SSGC hold each other responsible for promises</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/310735/as-citizens-suffer-kesc-ssgc-hold-each-other-responsible-for-promises</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/310735/as-citizens-suffer-kesc-ssgc-hold-each-other-responsible-for-promises#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 22 Dec 11 21:23:50 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=310735</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[SHC reserves order on power utility’s petition.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[As Karachi continues to suffer a shortage of electricity, the Karachi Electricity Supply Company and Sui Southern Gas Company fobbed off the blame for low generation and never ending load shedding on each other.

Their lawyers traded barbs at the hearing of a constitutional petition filed by KESC that wants the SSGC to provide it 276 mmcfd of gas to keep its turbines running.
Arguing the case for SSGC, Anwar Mansoor Khan submitted that the gas company was not privy to a meeting of the Economic Co-ordination Committee during which it was told to ensure the supply for KESC. The government cannot force SSGC to increase KESC’s supply, he maintained.
He said that according to the national gas policy of 2005, KESC falls in the fifth category of consumers in terms of priority. Domestic consumers come first. He referred to an ECC decision rejecting a move to change the gas policy to give preference to independent power producers.
SSGC’s Anwar Mansoor Khan said that despite repeated requests from SSGC, KESC had failed to sign a general sales agreement and make payments. It owes SSGC Rs2,000 billion. “Will I sell my gas to a consumer or a company that has defaulted on payments?” he asked. “Why doesn’t SSGC shut its entire supply to KESC?”
He argued that SSGC was being “blackmailed” and forced to submit to a decision. This was done to reduce production which leads to loadshedding for longer durations, forcing people to come out on to the streets and create a law and order situation. Once this situation was created, SSGC was asked to increase supplies,” he argued, adding that “while KESC is earning the money, the SSGC is put at a loss.”
Without naming the ‘beneficiaries behind the legal veil’, Anwar Mansoor Khan asked the court to have KESC’s accounts audited so that every one then knew where the money was going and into whose accounts.
Foreigners have come to Pakistan and are looting our country, he said.
He said that KESC was recovering 90 per cent of its bills from domestic and industrial consumers along with fertiliser companies. The ten per cent default comes from the federal and provincial governments and their allied departments, including the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board. This is the real problem for KESC, he submitted.
He said that SSGC had resorted to closing CNG stations on all four Sundays during November but it didn’t help reduce loadshedding. The problem is basically related to circular debt, he submitted.
SSGC’s lawyer concluded his arguments by saying that if the government increases supply to SSGC, which is just a distributor, it will provide the same amount to KESC if the utility pays its bill.
KESC’s lawyer Abid S Zuberi rebutted SSGC’s arguments by saying that the petition was not against SSGC but mainly against the federal government. He said despite directives from the ECC and high court, SSGC was supplying it only 120 mmcfd (and not 276 mmcfd).
KESC cannot produce electricity with this quantity. Loadshedding means losses as consumers do not pay their bills. KESC has had to buy furnace oil which eats up all the bills it has recovered, argued its lawyer.
The government promised KESC 276 mmcfd, he said, referring to the comments of the federal government in the petition and said it was admitted by the respondent federal government that it controls SSGC, OGRA etc.
“Let them shut the supply and I will stop production,” threatened KESC’s counsel. “The Gas Policy of 2005 violates and militates against Article 153 of the Constitution of Pakistan as only the Council of Common Interest can formulate a gas policy while the 2005 policy was framed by the ECC,” he added.
He said that SSGC was unnecessarily contesting and opposing the KESC petition as KESC was in fact supporting SSGC when it asked the federal government to pay the Rs16 billion owed by KW&amp;SB.
He maintained that while SSGC curtails its supply to KESC on different pretexts, it never cuts the supply to captive power units (generating units by factories, industries).
KESC is producing power for the people, he argued. “It is facing power theft, transmission and distribution losses due to kunda connections, strikes by workers and political interference and for this reason the first company which bought KESC has fled. We may be forced to do the same,” he warned.
When the government is ordering an increased gas supply and commits a quantity, how can SSGC differ as a public-funded company with the government holding shares.
After hearing the two sides at length, the bench reserved its order.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 23rd, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/310735-sindhhighcourtPPI-1324588943/310735-sindhhighcourtPPI-1324588943.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Industrialists protest against power cuts</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/310093/industrialists-protest-against-power-cuts</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/310093/industrialists-protest-against-power-cuts#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 21 Dec 11 21:35:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[farhan.zaheer]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=310093</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[KESC demanding gas supply of 180 mmcfd from government.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Different town associations of Karachi met on Wednesday and demanded Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) to immediately end 8-hour load shedding in industrial zones of the city.

“KESC is now getting subsidised furnace oil from government so it should end load shedding in industrial zones of Karachi,” SITE Association of Industry, Vice chairman Asad Nisar said while talking to The Express Tribune.

SITE, one of the leading industrial associations of Karachi is spearheading the campaign against KESC on load shedding.

KESC has been demanding gas supply of 180 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) from government, which Sui Southern Gas Company is not providing to KESC owing to low gas supply in the winter season.

The government has now decided to supply subsidised furnace to oil KESC to overcome load-shedding in industrial zones of Karachi, but businessmen say they are still facing long hours of power outages. They do agree that the duration has come down from 12 hours to eight hours.

The representatives of town associations have urged the government to find a resolution to the circular debt and also said that it is the prime duty of government to supply power to industries on priority bases.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22nd, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/310093-businessmenpr_1735627004/310093-businessmenpr_1735627004.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>On the warpath: Adviser to CM starts movement against KESC</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/308571/on-the-warpath-adviser-to-cm-starts-movement-against-kesc</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/308571/on-the-warpath-adviser-to-cm-starts-movement-against-kesc#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 18 Dec 11 22:40:50 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[sohail.khattak]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=308571</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[He says that the power utility has become like the East India Company.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The adviser to the chief minister and general secretary of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Haleem Adil Sheikh, has formed a group called the Citizen Action Committee against KESC Lootmar. Its first activity was to set up a complaint box against the power utility outside the gate of the press club on Sunday.

The committee has been formed to protest against the inconvenience that the KESC causes to the people of Karachi through excess billing and load shedding. It also held a protest against the organisation on Sunday and shouted slogans against its management. “The power utility has become like the East India Company since there is nobody to hold it accountable for its actions,” Sheikh said.

The committee will fix complaint boxes across the city. The complaints received will then be used to file a petition at the Supreme Court against the management of the KESC. Complaint cells will also be opened in the city, which will provide free legal aid to anybody who wants to take the organisation to court.

Sheikh said that he should have started the movement earlier but now that has become a victim of the KESC, he will free the people of Karachi from the monopoly of the organisation. He alleged that the power utility was responsible for gas load shedding in the country because it runs its power plants on gas instead of furnace oil. The organisation has the capacity to generate 1,950 megawatts of electricity and can overcome load shedding if it runs all of its power plants on furnace oil, he added.

“KESC gets 800 megawatts of electricity from the Water and Power Development Authority at the rate of three rupees per unit. It then charges its consumers Rs30 per unit,” said Sheikh.

He said that in the past, it was decided that the organisation would not increase the price of electricity for seven years and would also invest four billion rupees in the company. Despite the fact that the utility receives nine billion rupees from the citizens and also gets billions of rupees in subsidies from the government every month, it gives nothing back to the people, added Sheikh.

He demanded that the government buy back the company, put the names of its management on the Exit Control List (ECL), freeze the accounts of Abraaj Capital and bring back all the money that has been transferred to other countries. “We have been told that the managers of the power utility are fleeing from the country. That is why we have demanded that their names be put on the ECL, including that of the managing director, Tabish Gohar,” said Sheikh. He said that as a part of the movement, a website will be launched on which people can offer their feedback.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/308571-haleemadil-1324249156/308571-haleemadil-1324249156.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Businessmen take to streets against 12-hour power outages</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/307839/businessmen-take-to-streets-against-12-hour-power-outages</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/307839/businessmen-take-to-streets-against-12-hour-power-outages#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 16 Dec 11 21:46:31 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[farhan.zaheer]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=307839</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Protesters block busy road in SITE industrial area.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Leading industrialists on Friday protested against the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) in the wake of 12-hour loadshedding in the city’s industrial areas.


In the evening, the industrialists associated with the SITE Association of Industry, one of the biggest industrial zones of Karachi, staged a protest and blocked Makro-Habib roundabout for hours, a busy road adjacent to the SITE industrial area.

Talking to The Express Tribune, SITE Association of Industry Chairman Muhammad Irfan Moton said the industrialists were not satisfied with the performance of KESC and the government, which prompted them to come on to the streets. “We want the government to resolve whatever the problem is with KESC because we need electricity to run our industries.”

Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Mian Abrar Ahmed said over phone the industrial areas were still enduring severe loadshedding.

KESC was receiving low gas pressure due to which it could not produce required power, he said, adding the government was planning to provide subsidised furnace oil for the power utility to help it produce enough power to end outages in industrial areas.

He pointed out that the industrialists have also agreed on closing all their manufacturing units on Sunday and work for six days a week in the wake of gas load management.

Ahmed said KCCI representatives had met with Federal Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain to resolve the issue and expected that the situation would get clear in next meeting to be held in coming days.

Despite repeated attempts, KESC spokesperson was not available for comments.

Meeting with petroleum minister

In a press release issued on Friday, the KCCI revealed that the businessmen had met and apprised the petroleum minister about production losses following 12-hour power outages in industrial areas due to low gas pressure.

In the light of decision taken in the meeting, the industry would stay closed on two Sundays in December provided that the required gas pressure was ensured for the remaining six days in a week, said former KCCI president Siraj Kassam Teli.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/307839-businessmenpr_1736771956/307839-businessmenpr_1736771956.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Fused: Adviser gets charged up after KESC’s ‘excess billing’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/306279/fused-adviser-gets-charged-up-after-kesc%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98excess-billing%e2%80%99</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/306279/fused-adviser-gets-charged-up-after-kesc%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98excess-billing%e2%80%99#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 14 Dec 11 03:26:25 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=306279</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Haleem Adil Sheikh claims he is being maligned by the organisation.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The adviser to the chief minister and a member of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q), Haleem Adil Sheikh, has apparently had enough of what he says is the Karachi Electric Supply Company’s (KESC) excess billing. At a press conference on Tuesday, he announced that he would start a movement against the utility.

“With the help of my supporters, I will free the people of Karachi from the corrupt management of KESC,” he said. KESC had disconnected the power supply to a farmhouse in Gadap called Palm Village, as its electricity bills had not been paid. It also allegedly associated Sheikh with the property. “I do not own Palm Village. It is not registered in my name and neither is the meter. I have no involvement in the case,” he said.

He added that he had not defaulted on any payment and that he was being maligned by KESC so that it could conceal its own misdeeds. Shaikh said that he could not be held accountable for the default as his cousin, Tariq Qureshi, was the chairman of the farmhouse.

In the past three years, Palm Village’s electricity bills has come to Rs6.5 million. A petition against KESC for the alleged ‘excess billing’ of Palm Villages has already been filed at the Sindh High Court. Shaikh said that he is seeking Rs500million in damages from KESC with the help of his lawyer, Advocate Ashraf Sammo. If the organisation’s management does not apologise within the next nine days, he will take the matter to the Sindh High Court.

“KESC’s management has apparently adopted a policy of defaming the representatives of the people,” said Sheikh. “They just want to use my name.” He said that the National Accountability Bureau should take action against Abraaj Capital, which manages the power utility. Shaikh announced that he will participate in every protest against the KESC and will provide legal as well as other forms of support to anyone who wants to go against it. “My supporters and I will start a movement and refuse to pay our bills,” he said. In reply to a question, he said that his struggle for the people would continue even after a KESC apology is made.

Sheikh is not the first such person to find themselves in the spotlight with KESC. Law Minister Ayaz Soomro’s residence was cut off for unpaid bills last week.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/306279-HaleemAdilSheikh-1323803950/306279-HaleemAdilSheikh-1323803950.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Dismal state of KESC</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/305110/dismal-state-of-kesc</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/305110/dismal-state-of-kesc#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 11 Dec 11 17:09:47 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[editorial]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=305110</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[KESC has been unable to upgrade its rotting distribution system, has done little to curtail the theft of electricity.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A study conducted by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute for the ministry of water and power confirms what everyone already knew: the KESC has failed miserably in its job to provide a constant supply of electricity to Karachi’s citizens, despite receiving heavy subsidies from the federal government. Among other problems, the KESC has been unable to upgrade its rotting distribution system and has done little to curtail the theft of electricity. The important thing to note here is that, while the utility management ultimately has to be held responsible for the state of their company, there are plenty of other actors who deserve a share of the blame.

To start with, the city government in Karachi wanted a steady supply of electricity at all times but they just weren’t too keen on paying for it. For the KESC to shut off the lights at the offices of those who wield political power was impossible. Had they done so, they would have had to face protests from the possibly armed workers of powerful political parties. That is a cost of doing business in Karachi and, unfortunately, was one that the company’s management did not factor into their business model when they took over the company. The KESC is also overstaffed. Yet, when they tried to reduce the size of the workforce, they had to deal with the workers who went on strike, bringing the city to its knees.

Clearly, the current situation is unsustainable and a change needs to be made. But the danger is that the government may just decide to renationalise the utility company. That needs to be avoided at all costs. The KESC will simply be a drain on an already depleted exchequer. However, there are other things that the government can do to help out the company. For one, it could provide political power to the KESC management so that it is not alone as it takes on entrenched interests in the city. Doing that would be much more effective than simply flinging money at the problem and would require political courage, a commodity sadly lacking in our country.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/305110-KESCPHOTOFILE-1323623320/305110-KESCPHOTOFILE-1323623320.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Kesc Cuts Supply: Law minister not ‘above the law’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/304845/kesc-cuts-supply-law-minister-not-%e2%80%98above-the-law%e2%80%99</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/304845/kesc-cuts-supply-law-minister-not-%e2%80%98above-the-law%e2%80%99#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 10 Dec 11 20:43:01 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=304845</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[KESC cut its supply to Sindh Law Minister Ayaz Soomro’s residence on Saturday.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) cut its supply to Sindh Law Minister Ayaz Soomro’s residence on Saturday because he had failed to pay his bills for two months, which came to Rs368,000. An undertaking has been sent from the office of the executive engineer, stating that the bill has been deposited by the Attorney General’s office and is set to be cleared on December 13. “Earlier, Ayaz Soomro had issued a denial to the media that any money was owed to KESC,” KESC spokesman Aminur Rahman said. “But the undertaking is an admission that KESC was owed money. His electricity will remain disconnected until the bill has been cleared.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/304845-Newsinbriefx-1323546634/304845-Newsinbriefx-1323546634.JPG" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>KESC cuts electricity supply to Sindh minister's house</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/304630/kesc-cuts-electricity-supply-to-sindh-ministers-house</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/304630/kesc-cuts-electricity-supply-to-sindh-ministers-house#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 10 Dec 11 10:58:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=304630</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[According to the KESC spokesperson, Sindh Law Minister Ayaz Soomro owes Rs170,000.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) has cut off power supply to Sindh Law Minister Ayaz Soomro’s house due to non-payment of bills mounting for the fourth month, Express news reported on Saturday.

According to the KESC spokesperson, the minister owes Rs170,000 to the power company.

Soomro was due to address a press conference in Larkana today.

Earlier, in a statement released by KESC, the power supply company said that it will disconnect power supply to all those who fail to pay their bills on time.

They released this statement through their spokesperson apparently in response to the announcement made by over 16,000 industrialists in Karachi who said that they would not pay their bills until KESC solved the issue of load-shedding.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/304630-ayazsoomroapp-1323514338/304630-ayazsoomroapp-1323514338.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Protest: Electricity supply workers stage sit-in</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/304325/protest-electricity-supply-workers-stage-sit-in</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/304325/protest-electricity-supply-workers-stage-sit-in#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 10 Dec 11 03:42:06 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=304325</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[opposing the proposed dissolution of the authority and demanding the withdrawal of the plan.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Wapda officers staged a sit-in on Thursday in front of Pesco headquarters in Wapda House, opposing the proposed dissolution of the authority and demanding the withdrawal of the plan. They also demanded taking all stakeholders including power distribution companies on board before the introduction of power sector reform policies.


Pesco/Tesco Officers Association President Engr Abdul Latif led the protesters, who presented a charter of demands which included a call for the government to restore Wapda to its original form. Later, addressing the protesting Wapda officers, Pesco Chief Executive Muhamamd Wali said the  privatisation of Kesc had proved to be neither beneficial for the government, nor for the employees of the institution.

He assured the officers that they had taken up all issues and reservations regarding the new power reforms policy  and they would be resolved with consensus and consultations.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/304325-PeshawarNewMap-1323454524/304325-PeshawarNewMap-1323454524.JPG" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Alleged defamation: KESC serves Rs1b notice to Karachi Chamber</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/304306/alleged-defamation-kesc-serves-rs1b-notice-to-karachi-chamber</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/304306/alleged-defamation-kesc-serves-rs1b-notice-to-karachi-chamber#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 09 Dec 11 21:03:13 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=304306</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[KCCI president says industrialists only protested against 12-hour outages.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) has served a legal notice on current and former presidents of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) for defaming the power company due to loadshedding in industrial areas.

The notice has demanded an unconditional apology and damages of Rs1 billion from KCCI chief Mian Abrar Ahmed and ex-president Siraj Kassim Teli for making defamatory remarks in the media on December 3.

Karachi industrialists
and KESC had been at loggerheads over power outages in industrial areas and the businessmen had protested against the company over the last few weeks on various fronts.

KESC, KCCI and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) had signed an agreement on November 26 in the presence of Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad and Federal Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Dr Asim Hussain for gas load management during the peak winter season and stopping power outages in industrial areas of Karachi.

KESC, in a press release, said the company complied with relevant provisions
including payment of Rs2 billion to SSGC on November 29 but to date SSGC had
not been able to supply the agreed quota of 180 million cubic feet of gas per day (mmcfd).

In the legal notice, KESC warned that if the two industrialists failed to provide an unconditional and full apology within seven days, the company would commence legal proceedings against them for defamation and damages.

Reacting to the notice, KCCI President Mian Abrar Ahmed said he would appropriately respond to the legal notice in the shortest possible time. “Our answer in two lines is that KCCI represents 17,000 industrialists and businesspersons and whatever we do is to protect the interest of our members,” he said.

The performance of KESC is not hidden from the people of Karachi, he said, adding the industrialists had protested against 12-hour loadshedding which was not wrong.

Former president and leader of the ruling group in KCCI, Siraj Kassim Teli, was not available for comments.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/304306-KESClogo-1323464156/304306-KESClogo-1323464156.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Re-awakening: KESC employees to renew protest under new committee</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/303248/re-awakening-kesc-employees-to-renew-protest-under-new-committee</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/303248/re-awakening-kesc-employees-to-renew-protest-under-new-committee#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 07 Dec 11 22:17:36 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=303248</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Trade unions and civil society invited to join their protest on December 12 at the press club.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[After about four months of silence, the employees of the Karachi Electricity Supply Company (KESC) have decided to renew their protest against the management under the banner of the KESC Workers Unity Committee (KWUC).


Announcing the decision at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Wednesday evening, the old guard of the Pakistan Peoples Party labour bureau, Habibuddin Junaidi, Lateef Mughal, Manzoor Badauni and Manzoor Razi said that they had held their peace because they had been looking forward to “better days ahead”, but since that wasn’t happening, they had decided to renew their protests.

They appealed to people in general and other trade unions to join them in a protest on December 12 in front of the press club. According to the KWUC leaders, the agreement between KESC, its employees and the Sindh government was never implemented and the workers were laid off and maltreated.

They said that KESC had also violated court orders, according to which the management could not take any action to harm the employees. “Under the circumstances we don’t have any choice left but to go to the people to take extreme action,” they said.

When asked about the owners of KESC, they said that the media knew them well. “Let their names flash on television channels and let the names of those drawing hefty salaries and their relations to the bigwigs be exposed,” they declared. “We have no reservations.”

Junaidi went so far as to accuse the management of wanting the workers to clash with the government and the state.

Their demands include the implementation of the KESC management-workers agreement. For its part, KESC says it plans to settle the matter amicably and “by the book”, based on the agreements made at Governor House in July meetings attended by the government, union representatives and management.

According to KESC, about 3,000 out of 4,500 protesting employees have silently taken the voluntary golden handshake. “This is just a vociferous minority of workers that are agitating,” said KESC spokesman Aminur Rahman when contacted by The Express Tribune. “I cannot say anything pre-emptively about the protest that will take place but I can say that taking the law into their own hands will serve no purpose.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 8th, 2011. ]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/303248-KESCProtestPh_1735627004/303248-KESCProtestPh_1735627004.JPG" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Relief pill: SSGC increases gas supply to KESC</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/302708/relief-pill-ssgc-increases-gas-supply-to-kesc</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/302708/relief-pill-ssgc-increases-gas-supply-to-kesc#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 06 Dec 11 03:14:05 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=302708</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[SSGC) has increased the supply of gas to Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) to 180MMCFD.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has increased the supply of gas to Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) to 180MMCFD. The move is expected to avert the threat of extended load shedding in the city, at least temporarily. SSGC sources told The Express Tribune that they have increased the supply of gas from 155MMCF to 180MMCF. KESC had earlier said that it would once again have to resort to 12-hour load-shedding for industries, daily. This announcement was apparently made in response to the threat by industries that they would not pay their bills. However, the expected power and industrial crisis has been averted by the increase of the gas by the SSGC who also pointed out that there has been an increase in the demand of the gas because of the winter and that the company is continuously facing problems in fulfilling the needs of its customers.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/302708-Newsinbriefx-1323109825/302708-Newsinbriefx-1323109825.JPG" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Parts of Gulshan avoid load shedding by paying bills, others just steal</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/301920/parts-of-gulshan-avoid-load-shedding-by-paying-bills-others-just-steal</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/301920/parts-of-gulshan-avoid-load-shedding-by-paying-bills-others-just-steal#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 04 Dec 11 05:35:03 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[saad.hasan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=301920</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[KESC says it is happy with blocks 16, 10 and 13D.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[There are buildings, houses, shops, and even tattered shanties in parts of Gulshan-e-Iqbal where the electricity supply never wavers, while the rest of the city faces incessant power cuts. Block 18, between PIA Planetarium and Baitul Mukaram Mosque, is one such privileged locality.


According to a resident, Imran Sherwani, the last major power outage happened seven months back. “In my opinion, we have been exempted from the power cuts because we pay our bills, even if the amount seems excessive,” he said.

Just a couple of blocks away, near Nipa Chowrangi, people are not as lucky. Daily power outages are a part of routine. But the fluctuation between areas is deliberately caused by the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC). “If people don’t steal electricity, then there will be no reason to complain,” said a regional manager. “Power is not being cut in areas where electricity theft is less than 10%.”

KESC has prioritised its customers on a loyalty scale, said officials. Gulshan is second to the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), when it comes to exemption from KESC’s load shedding. “Our good customers live in blocks 16, 10 and 13-D,” said the official.

This strategy has been enforced by KESC’s management to control power theft which is rampant across Karachi. CEO Tabish Gohar announced earlier that a list of localities was being prepared so that good customers would be rewarded.

While some regular payers are happy with this arrangement, others are suffering due to their power grids. “In some cases, our job becomes difficult,” said the official. Half a dozen slums, located along the stretch of Lyari River that runs in Gulshan, are hooked to illegal connections, causing power cuts for even those who pay the bills.

“Block 11 of Gulshan has a high percentage of residents who pay the bills, but Madoo Goth is located right behind it, where almost everyone steals electricity,” he said. “Since both locations are connected to the same power grid, everyone suffers when the load is managed.”

KESC officials say curbing theft, which results in billions of rupees in losses every year, has been a difficult task. Interference of political parties has made the job even harder.

In the Karson Complex, located on Main Rashid Minhas Road, the KESC staff has been threatened and stopped from cutting stolen connections. “A permanent cut is impossible. People will burn tyres and block the road. There is nothing we can do.”

KESC said around 40% of its 2.1 million customers pay their bills on time and do not steal. However, these numbers include industrial customers as well. “We have identified our regular payers all over the city,” said a spokesperson, Aminur Rehman. “Locations with high power theft have been marked as high-loss zones, but are reviewed every three months in case there is an improvement.”

People have to realise that paying bills is in their own interest, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 4th, 2011.

&nbsp;]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/301920-lanternloadsh_1735627004/301920-lanternloadsh_1735627004.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Industrial zone’s power outages cut to 8 hours</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/299757/industrial-zone%e2%80%99s-power-outages-cut-to-8-hours</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/299757/industrial-zone%e2%80%99s-power-outages-cut-to-8-hours#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 29 Nov 11 20:37:11 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[farhan.zaheer]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=299757</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[KESC improves supply as it receives more gas from SSGC.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[With the improvement of gas supply to Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) from Tuesday, the load shedding time in industrial zones of Karachi has reduced to eight hours from the massive 12-hours a day.

Talking to The Express Tribune, the spokesperson of KESC informed that the company is now receiving 140 millions cubic feet per day (mmcfd) gas, up 20 mmcfd, from Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC). Following this, KESC has reduced the load shedding by four hours to the industrial zones of Karachi.

KESC demands 180 mmcfd gas from SSGGC to completely end load shedding in Karachi but owing to a huge gap in demand and supply, Pakistan is facing severe gas shortage this winter.

According to an agreement between SSGC and KESC that was signed on Saturday night in presence of Governor Sindh, KESC had to pay Rs2 billion SSGC. When the KESC spokesperson was questioned on the payment, he said he was not sure whether his company had made the payment or not.

SSGC officials, when contacted, informed that the KESC had made payments on Tuesday but the amount was small and not equal to Rs2 billion that had been committed. The officials further confirmed that they are now giving 140 mmcfd to KESC.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/299757-electricity-1322598614/299757-electricity-1322598614.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>KESC fails to keep promise, industrialists may resume protests</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/299105/kesc-fails-to-keep-promise-industrialists-may-resume-protests</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/299105/kesc-fails-to-keep-promise-industrialists-may-resume-protests#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 28 Nov 11 19:49:12 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[farhan.zaheer]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=299105</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Power loadshedding was to end from Monday, but it did not.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Mian Abrar Ahmed has announced that industrialists would resume their protest if the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) did not end the 12-hour power outages immediately.


“We expected an end to loadshedding from Monday but it did not materialise. We expect the situation to improve in a day or two, but if it does not, we will resume our protest against KESC,” he said, while talking to the media at the KCCI office on Monday.

Three major stakeholders – KESC, KCCI and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) – met with Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad at the Governor’s House on Saturday and reached an agreement on future gas load management in Sindh.

According to the agreement, KESC will immediately end power outages in the industrial areas of Sindh, if SSGC starts supplying 180 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of gas to KESC, up by 60 mmcfd from the present 120 mmcfd.

On the other hand, KESC has committed to pay Rs2 billion to SSGC on Tuesday (today) out of the outstanding amount that has soared above Rs34 billion. Earlier, the rift between the industrialists and the power supplier deepened on Friday when KESC threatened that it would cut power supply to any industry that failed to pay electricity bill within the deadline.

Seven industrial associations comprising 17,000 members have been protesting against 12-hour outages for a week and have threatened to stop paying electricity bills if prolonged loadshedding continued.

Energy crisis in Sindh has worsened as different industries want to grab maximum share of the cheap gas, while SSGC is trying to manage the limited supplies to industries and domestic consumers.

Talking to The Express Tribune, a KESC spokesperson said that SSGC needs to increase gas supply to 180 mmcfd, otherwise, the power utility cannot end loadshedding in industrial areas of Karachi.

Meanwhile, an SSGC spokesperson said that KESC should first pay Rs2 billion from the outstanding amount because the gas company is facing cash crunch.

SSGC has also planned to reduce gas supply to fertiliser plants and work on a plan for two-day closure of CNG stations to divert gas to KESC.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/299105-loadshedding-1322509119/299105-loadshedding-1322509119.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>KESC, business community reach consensus</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/298223/kesc-business-community-reach-consensus</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/298223/kesc-business-community-reach-consensus#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 26 Nov 11 20:46:18 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=298223</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Power cuts to end today, industries to remain shut on Sundays.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) management and the business community have reached an understanding over the ongoing chronic power shortage in the industrial areas of the city.


During a meeting held at the Governor House on Saturday, it was decided that there would be no load-shedding in industrial areas from today (Sunday) and in return industries will remain shut every Sunday in December. Meanwhile, it was also decided that CNG stations will remain closed for two days a week in the upcoming month.

The KESC management also said that power outages will completely end in January and industries will be able to run operations throughout the week. The meeting, which was co-chaired by Federal Minister for Petroleum Dr Asim Hussain and Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat ul Ebad Khan.

The government has directed Pakistan State Oil to immediately provide the required amount of furnace oil to Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC), Hussain told industrialists earlier at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The rift between the city’s industrialists and power supplier aggravated on Friday when KESC made it clear that power supply to any industry will be disconnected if bill is not paid within the due date. Seven industrial associations comprising 17,000 members have been protesting against 12-hour outages for a week and have threatened to stop paying electricity bills if prolonged load-shedding it continues.

A cabinet meeting is scheduled on Tuesday to review the load-shedding situation in the country, Hussain said.

Businessmen Group chairman Siraj Kassim Teli said that KESC should be divided into separate companies so that one can oversee power production and the other can manage distribution, a system used in many countries across the globe.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27th, 2011. ]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/298223-businessmenpr_1735627004/298223-businessmenpr_1735627004.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Industrialists: KESC says it will disconnect power of non-payers</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/297831/industrialists-kesc-says-it-will-disconnect-power-of-non-payers</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/297831/industrialists-kesc-says-it-will-disconnect-power-of-non-payers#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 25 Nov 11 20:19:57 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[kashif.hussain]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=297831</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Businessmen announced not to pay their bills, as a protest to prolonged power outages.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Karachi Electric Supply Company has said that it will disconnect power supply to all those who fail to pay their bills on time.


They released this statement through their spokesperson apparently in response to the announcement made by over 16,000 industrialists in Karachi who said that they would not pay their bills until KESC solved the issue of load-shedding.

The KESC statement said that the company was aware of the problems faced by businessmen and had given them exemption from load-shedding for two years but with the drastic reduction in gas supply from SSGC they now had no choice.

All seven Industrial Associations of Karachi protested outside the Karachi press club against the 12-hour load shedding on Wednesday.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/297831-electricity-1322252159/297831-electricity-1322252159.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Traders protest 12-hour power outages</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/296623/traders-protest-12-hour-power-outages</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/296623/traders-protest-12-hour-power-outages#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 23 Nov 11 21:27:15 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=296623</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[All seven industrial associations join hands.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[All seven industrial associations of the city and the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) gathered on Wednesday outside the Karachi Press Club to protest against the 12-hour power outages by the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC).


Representatives of major industrial associations said that KESC has scheduled 12-hour outages in the industrial areas of the city in three phases of four hours each, making it impossible for industries to operate even a single shift.

Talking to The Express Tribune, KCCI President Mian Abrar Ahmed said that “our protest was against KESC because it was responsible for not providing required power”.

“We feel that KESC is black mailing both the industry and the government. It demands a certain amount of gas to produce cheap electricity instead of using furnace oil,” he said, “although the government has told KESC to use furnace oil and that it will pay the additional difference in cost between gas and furnace oil.”

“The present 12-hour load shedding is actually more than 20-hour load shedding for industries because our machinery needs at least two hours to restart,” he added.

“KESC recovers 98% of its electricity bills from the industries, which shows that the industries are doing their part of the bargain. But what do we do when we do not get power even after paying all bills?” he questioned. “After Wednesday’s protest, we will chalk out our next plan. It is expected that we will stop paying electricity bills to KESC as a last resort,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/296623-businessmenpr_1735627004/296623-businessmenpr_1735627004.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Unpaid bills: KESC threatens to cut off KWSB</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/296632/unpaid-bills-kesc-threatens-to-cut-off-kwsb</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/296632/unpaid-bills-kesc-threatens-to-cut-off-kwsb#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 23 Nov 11 20:27:53 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[ppi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=296632</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Threatened to cut off the power to the pumping stations run by the KWSB unless it pays up Rs15.3 billion.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Karachi Electric Supply Company has threatened to cut off the power to the pumping stations run by the Karachi Water &amp; Sewerage Board unless it pays up Rs15.3 billion. The water board enjoys an uninterrupted supply at all of its installments, said Imran Aslam, who is the director of distribution strategy and the public sector consumer at KESC, in a letter dated November 22. “It has now become impossible for us to supply uninterrupted power to KWSB at the prevailing gas levels.” It asked the water board to reduce its electricity consumption to 50% voluntarily, or face load shedding. On November 21, KESC disconnected Pakistan Steel Mills for the same reason.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24th, 2011.

&nbsp;]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/296632-Newsinbriefx-1322074191/296632-Newsinbriefx-1322074191.JPG" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Power outages: Leather industry fears losses in millions</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/296111/power-outages-leather-industry-fears-losses-in-millions</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/296111/power-outages-leather-industry-fears-losses-in-millions#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 23 Nov 11 02:49:44 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=296111</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Pakistan Tanners Association feared losses in millions due to severe load shedding.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA) South Zone Chairman M Khurshid Ahmed said that losses of hundreds of millions of rupees are feared in the tannery zone in Korangi Industrial Area due to severe load shedding at this juncture when the tanneries are required to work full-time due to high season as they are tanning hides and skins after the procurement of raw material after Eidul Azha. The export oriented leather sector has sent an SOS to the federal government to save the industry from collapse due to massive load shedding resorted by Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) in industrial areas, according to a press statement on Tuesday.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23rd, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/296111-Newsinbriefx-1321990817/296111-Newsinbriefx-1321990817.JPG" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Pak Steel claims KESC owes Rs130m</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/296063/pak-steel-claims-kesc-owes-rs130m</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/296063/pak-steel-claims-kesc-owes-rs130m#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 22 Nov 11 22:23:24 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=296063</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The announcement came following power cut on Monday evening.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[In a surprise move on Tuesday, Pakistan Steel (PS) claimed that Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) has to pay it outstanding dues of Rs130 million in electricity bills.

PS has its own power plant and it sometimes supplies power to the KESC grid. The PS claim came following KESC’s act of discontinuing power supply to PS on Monday evening over of its outstanding dues of Rs52 million.

“The power cut of PS has caused losses of up to Rs60 million because PS administration had to divert power to residential areas from its plant operations,” PS said.

PS administration, in a press release, said that it was shocked over the strict measure of KESC of discontinuing its power supply. However, the PS administration accepted that it owed Rs52 million to KESC in September bills.

Pakistan Steel had paid over 75% (i.e. Rs170 million of the total Rs222 million) of its dues to KESC, a few weeks ago, the statement said, adding that KESC cut PS’s power supply for the Rs52 million when the former owes the latter much more.

It also said that it was highly unprofessional on part of KESC to cut PS’s power supply considering the 30-year long history of commercial contract of buying and selling power between the two companies.

Furthermore, both organisations have a contract according to which both buy and sell electricity with other’s resources.

KESC on Monday said that it had discontinued the power supply of PS because the latter had failed to commit on its outstanding dues of Rs52million in September bills. KESC said that it had given time to PS to commit on its remaining dues, but it had failed to pay up in the stipulated time period.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23rd, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/296063-steelmillsCre_1735627004/296063-steelmillsCre_1735627004.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>KCCI plans series of protests against KESC</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/296090/kcci-plans-series-of-protests-against-kesc</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/296090/kcci-plans-series-of-protests-against-kesc#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 22 Nov 11 22:11:11 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[farhan.zaheer]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=296090</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[End to prolonged power outages demanded.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[After a meeting with seven industrial associations of Karachi, the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), on Tuesday, announced a series of protests against Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC).

Talking to The Express Tribune KCCI President Mian Abrar Ahmed said that with the support of all seven major industrial associations of the city, KCCI has decided to protest against KESC’s 12-hour load shedding in the city.

“We also decided in the meeting that all our 17,000 members will not pay their electricity bills if KESC does not end the long power outages in the next three days,” Ahmed said. “Our member industries and traders will gather outside of Karachi Press Club at 5pm Wednesday (today) to protest,” he added.

“Actually, the KESC wants businessmen to pressurise the government on the issue of load shedding so that they can get cheap gas from Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC). But we will not do this; instead we would like the government to rein-in KESC,” said Ahmed.

KESC has enough installed power capacity but it does not produce power on furnace oil, he said. Although, they charge electricity bills as per their furnace oil production cost which is certainly much higher than gas, he added.

Industrialists want KESC to supply uninterrupted power to industries because they say that KESC gets subsidy from the government for this. They said the 12-hour load shedding has badly disturbed the industrial production of the city that generates over Rs7 billion in taxes in a single day.

KESC usually prefers its industrial consumers to the domestic because of the higher tariff rate that it gets from the thousands of industrial units of city.

SSGC is supplying around 120 millions cubic feet per day (mmcfd) gas to KESC, down 60 mmcfd, from the 180 mmcfd owing to the shortfall of gas in the current winter season.

KESC, on its part, claims that it cannot bear the expensive power production from furnace oil.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23rd, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/296090-lanternloadsh_1735627004/296090-lanternloadsh_1735627004.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Electricity woes: KESC cuts power supply to Pakistan Steel</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/295579/electricity-woes-kesc-cuts-power-supply-to-pakistan-steel</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/295579/electricity-woes-kesc-cuts-power-supply-to-pakistan-steel#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 22 Nov 11 03:06:22 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[farhan.zaheer]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=295579</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Says mill could not clear dues of Rs52 million.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) on Monday evening disconnected power supply to Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) because of outstanding payment of Rs52 million.


Talking to The Express Tribune, the KESC spokesperson said the utility company cut electricity supply after 6pm when PSM failed to commit a payment schedule for power dues.

He said earlier KESC and PSM were in talks over an outstanding amount of Rs222 million. Two weeks ago, PSM paid Rs100 million to KESC and released another around Rs70 million in different phases.

Later, when PSM failed to commit remaining payment of Rs52 million, KESC disconnected power supply some time ago. “But we restored the supply because of PSM’s strategic installations,” the KESC spokesperson said.

However, “according to our policy, we do not resume power supply to the defaulter unless it pays all its dues.”

Although Rs52 million was included in overall PSM dues, most of these were of September, he added.

Despite repeated attempts, PSM officials could not be contacted for comment. PSM has also its own power plant that sometimes supplies additional power to KESC but it is not clear how much electricity the plant produces.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22nd, 2011. ]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/295579-KESClogo-1321931106/295579-KESClogo-1321931106.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>SSGC curtails gas supply to KESC over non-payment of dues</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/293308/ssgc-curtails-gas-supply-to-kesc-over-non-payment-of-dues</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/293308/ssgc-curtails-gas-supply-to-kesc-over-non-payment-of-dues#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 17 Nov 11 08:34:31 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=293308</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[MD SSGC Azeem Iqbal says KESC is liable to pay SSGC an amount of Rs32 billion.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Managing Director for Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) Azeem Iqbal said on Thursday that gas supply to Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) will be curtailed until the company clears its dues.

Speaking to the media, Iqbal said that KESC is liable to pay SSGC an amount of Rs32 billion.

The SSGC MD dubbed KESC’s acts as “pressure tactics” and said that the supply company is brewing resentment in the masses through unwarranted power outages.

Industrialists who suffered from power outages have threatened to close all industrial zones in reaction to the load shedding.

(Read: Industrial areas: KESC to start load-shedding)

Earlier on Wednesday, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Mian Abrar Ahmad expressed deep concern over an SMS sent by KESC to industrialists, stating that it plans to start load shedding in industrial areas due to curtailment of gas by SSGC.

Ahmad said owing to curtailed gas supply to KESC, he feared load shedding in all industrial areas of Karachi which will severely hamper industrial activities.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/293308-ssgclogoPHOTO-1321518234/293308-ssgclogoPHOTO-1321518234.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Industrial areas: KESC to start load-shedding</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/293144/industrial-areas-kesc-to-start-load-shedding</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/293144/industrial-areas-kesc-to-start-load-shedding#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 17 Nov 11 02:51:57 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=293144</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[To start load shedding in industrial areas due to curtailment of gas by Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC).]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Mian Abrar Ahmad on Wednesday expressed deep concern on a SMS sent by Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) to industrialists stating that it plans to start load shedding in industrial areas due to curtailment of gas by Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC). In meeting at SITE Association of Industry, SSGC Managing Director said that KESC had not paid Rs32 billion dues to SSGCL and consequently supply of gas to KESC will be curtailed. Ahmad said owing to curtailed gas supply to KESC he feared load shedding in all industrial areas of Karachi which will severely hamper industrial activities.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th,  2011.

&nbsp;]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/293144-Newsinbriefx-1321472831/293144-Newsinbriefx-1321472831.JPG" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Labour blues: KESC union warns to relaunch protests</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/293094/labour-blues-kesc-union-warns-to-relaunch-protests</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/293094/labour-blues-kesc-union-warns-to-relaunch-protests#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Nov 11 20:57:20 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[ppi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=293094</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[KESC Workers Yakjehti Committee has warned it will relaunch its protest if the company does not abide by the agreement]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) Workers Yakjehti Committee has warned it will relaunch its protest if the company does not abide by the agreement signed between its management and the workers. The convener of the committee, Fareed Awan, said that KESC failed to implement the agreement, signed on July 26 at Governor House. The governor, home minister and administrator of Karachi were contacted repeatedly but no action was taken, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th,  2011.

&nbsp;]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/293094-Newsinbriefx-1321468164/293094-Newsinbriefx-1321468164.JPG" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Electricity costs: To save the textile sector a few pennies, the rest of us feel the squeeze</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/288676/electricity-costs-to-save-the-textile-sector-a-few-pennies-the-rest-of-us-feel-the-squeeze</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/288676/electricity-costs-to-save-the-textile-sector-a-few-pennies-the-rest-of-us-feel-the-squeeze#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 07 Nov 11 00:32:24 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[kazim.alam]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=288676</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Govt provides cheap fuel to industries, while depriving power utilities of gas.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[For most medium and large-scale textile units, electricity forms less than 3% of the total cost of production. Yet in order to help the powerful textile lobby save on that 3%, the government has decided to direct gas supplies away from the power sector, raising the costs of electricity for the rest of the country.


“Electricity constitutes hardly 3% of the total operating costs. If I’m selling one metre fabric for Rs70, the electricity component of it would hardly be Rs2,” said Wahid Tumbi, director of sales and marketing at Orient Textile Mills, a Karachi-based, medium-sized weaving mill, which is part of the Ebrahim Group of Companies.

In the last five years, the allocation of gas – the cheapest fuel – for the power sector has been reduced from 43% to 22%, according to Tayyab Tareen, chief financial officer of the Karachi Electric Supply Company. Most of that reduction has come due to the fact that the government has ordered the two state-owned gas distribution companies – Sui Northern Gas Pipelines and Sui Southern Gas Company – to redirect their gas supplies to the captive power plants installed by most textile companies.

“For the past 10 years or so, most factories have switched to gas-powered electricity generation plants,” said Zulqarnain Jafri, regional manager at Allied Engineering and Services, the authorised dealer for Caterpillar machinery and equipment in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

This is despite the fact that, of all the components of a textile factory’s costs, electricity is by far the smallest.

“If you look at the cost breakdown of the finished product, electricity is its smallest part. The cost of cotton is roughly 48-50%. Spinning, weaving, printing, labour and overheads form about 15%, 10%, 12%, 5% and 6% of the total costs, respectively. Electricity is just 2-3%,” Tumbi said.

Most power distribution companies in the country charge lower rates from their industrial consumers, a cross-subsidy that they make up for by charging commercial and residential consumers more. In Karachi, for example, the KESC charges the average industrial consumer about Rs8.50 per kilowatt-hour.

However, that cost is still lower than the Rs5.50 per unit that it costs textile companies to produce power from their captive gas-fired power generators.

“In the initial years, the cost of electricity can be as little as Rs4.50 per kilowatt. The per-unit cost increases over years though, because of maintenance issues,” Jafri said.

The power companies, particularly KESC, have been lobbying the government to stop allocating gas to the captive power units at the textile factories (as well as other industrial units). Power company officials say that most of those plants, because they are smaller, operate at between 18% and 20% efficiency, compared to the 47% efficiency that KESC has achieved in most of its plants.

As a means of enticing the government – and the powerful textile lobby – to listen to their demands, KESC has promised that it will no longer have any power outages in the industrial areas of Karachi. Textile industry insiders acknowledge that KESC has in fact delivered on this promise, but still refuse to give the utility credit.

“KESC doesn’t subject its industrial customers to electricity load-shedding anymore. But KESC is not only unreliable, it’s also unfeasible. It’ll cost us dearly if a power loom breaks down because of a voltage surge or power interruption by KESC,” said Tumbi, apparently unaware of the existence of stabilisers and surge protection equipment. “We run our factory solely on our own power generation plant, as it’s far more feasible than KESC.”

KESC claims that if it gets about 276 million cubic feet of gas per day (mmcfd), it can end power outages in Karachi. Currently, the utility is getting around 180 mmcfd. Meanwhile, the industrial sector is getting about 120 mmcfd to run its less efficient captive power generation units. Supplying gas to the textile sector saves the powerful lobby a few hundredths of a percentage point on their total costs, but ends up increasing the costs of electricity for the rest of the country as utilities turn from gas, which costs Rs5.3 per unit, to oil, which costs Rs18 per unit to produce electricity.

Since the government does not allow power prices to rise to that level, it is forced to promise subsidies to the power companies, spending over Rs1 trillion to subsidise the power sector. However, even that amount was not enough and an estimated Rs300 billion in additional government liabilities has financially crippled the energy sector through the inter-corporate circular debt.

Yet far from discontinuing a flawed policy from the Musharraf administration, the current government also appears to be just as enamoured the textile and industrial lobby. Petroleum Minister Asim Hussain recently proposed a new gas tax, which would raise gas prices for the fertiliser sector (which uses gas as a feedstock) by a whopping 94%, but only by 3% for the captive power plants of industrial units.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7th,  2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/288676-currency-1320597562/288676-currency-1320597562.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Corporate results: KESC sinks deeper into losses</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/284361/corporate-results-kesc-sinks-deeper-into-losses</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/284361/corporate-results-kesc-sinks-deeper-into-losses#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 28 Oct 11 20:04:53 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[faseeh.mangi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=284361</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Distributor projects to make a profit after five years in fiscal 2012.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Karachi Electric Supply Company losses swelled 24% in the first quarter of financial year 2012, a year the new management Abraaj Capital projects to make their first profit since takeover.


Net losses widened to Rs2.2 billion during July to September 2011 against Rs1.8 billion posted in the same period last year, according to a notice sent to the Karachi Stock Exchange.

Increasing customer service and administrative expense coupled with financial costs crippled the company’s profits, said Topline Securities analyst Nauman Khan.

Dubai-based Abraaj Capital took over management controls of the city’s sole power producer in October 2008.

Low bill recovery due to labour strikes during start of the quarter was a reason for the drop in losses, says a KESC official who requested anonymity. The strikes hampered distribution network of the country’s sole power distributor till such an extent that bills were not delivered on time and consumer had to download their bills from KESC’s official website.

Gross profit increased more than Rs700 million to Rs1.7 billion during the period under review but this was eaten up by increasing expenses, added Khan.

Finance cost rose 38% to Rs1.7 billion while administrative expense gained 30% to Rs3 billion.

KESC’s stock price rose Rs0.09 to close at Rs1.69 during trade at the Karachi Stock Exchange. Only 85 stocks declined from total 328 companies traded at the bourse as benchmark 100-share index surged 278 points.

Ending the drought

The company projected, at the start of the financial year, to switch back to a profit regime in financial year 2012 after a gap of five years. Despite all problems surrounding the company, a profit of Rs2.15 billion is estimated, more than the amount the company made in the last ten financial years.

“A lot has changed since the projection was made,” said KESC official, adding that gas levels have fallen that has resulted in increased production from furnace oil.

The power distributor witnessed a profit only twice in the last twelve years.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29th, 2011. ]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/284361-KESClogo-1319831525/284361-KESClogo-1319831525.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Capital markets: After Engro, KESC to jump into retail bond fray</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/283555/capital-markets-after-engro-kesc-to-jump-into-retail-bond-fray</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/283555/capital-markets-after-engro-kesc-to-jump-into-retail-bond-fray#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 27 Oct 11 21:31:32 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[farooq.tirmizi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=283555</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Utility announces plan to issue a Rs2 billion debt offering in November.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Karachi Electric Supply Company plans on issuing a Rs2 billion bond directly to retail investors, bypassing traditional investment banks, becoming the second major Pakistani firm after the Engro Corporation to do so.


At an analyst briefing held at the Marriott Hotel in Karachi, KESC executives announced that they were in negotiations with the Karachi Stock Exchange as well as commercial banks. They expect to be able to make the offering by sometime in November, though the company did not specify a date. KESC executives said that the initial public offering would last for three months.

The bond will be available through the branch network of commercial banks as well as the retail branches of some brokerage firms. KESC did not provide details about which banks the bond would be available from. No details were available either about what rate the utility would offer on its bond.

In keeping with a tradition set by Engro, the bond will have a name: Azm. Engro had named its bond the Engro Rupiya and was able to raise Rs8 billion in two separate offerings of the Rupiya certificates.

Yet Engro also has strong and positive brand recognition as the company that set up the world’s largest single-train urea plant in Pakistan, and the conglomerate whose food subsidiaries’ products have become household names. By contrast, most people only speak of KESC to complain about power outages.

Another key difference between Engro and KESC: the former is profitable, the latter is not. For the financial year ending June 30, 2011, KESC made a loss of Rs9.4 billion.

The company’s management, however, felt that there was a strong investment case to be made. CFO Tayyab Tareen pointed out that for the first time in over a decade, KESC had positive earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) – a key measure of the company’s cash flows – of around Rs3.5 billion. KESC management has also projected a profit for the financial year 2012.

At the analyst briefing, the management spoke about how they had improved the efficiency of their power generation operations and would be spending $100 million over the next few years to improve the transmission grid, including using aerial bundling cables to help prevent theft from the grid.

KESC loses about 7% of the power it generates due to the grid quality – only slightly above international norms – but about 25% more through theft, for a total of 32% line losses. For the year 2012, the company targets bringing that ratio down to 29%, most of which, the management implied, would be through reducing theft.

“We don’t need to introduce aerial bundling cables in all areas of Karachi,” said Naveed Ahmed, head of corporate strategy at KESC. “We only need to focus on some key problem areas.”

Inadequate institutions

The issuance of retail bonds by some of the best known companies in the country is reflective of the limitations of the financial services sector in Pakistan, according to several experts. Companies want to borrow money but find bank borrowing either too expensive or too restrictive.

“A retail bond offering can often be cheaper than a normal bond since it is only competing against the offerings available to retail investors, where the best term deposit will yield around 12%,” said one investment banker who wished to remain anonymous. “Engro’s bond, however, was yielding 14.5%, which compares well for a retail investor but is lower than the 15% or higher that most other bonds available to institutional investors yield.”Another reason could be the transaction costs: the commissions paid to commercial banks for distribution are far lower than what the company would have to pay an investment bank in advisory and underwriting fees.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/283555-KESClogo-1319748580/283555-KESClogo-1319748580.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Power shutdown: KESC to do maintenance work</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/281316/power-shutdown-kesc-to-do-maintenance-work</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/281316/power-shutdown-kesc-to-do-maintenance-work#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 24 Oct 11 20:44:39 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[ppi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=281316</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[KESC announced that it will shut down the supply of electricity to certain parts of the city.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Karachi Electric Supply Company announced that it will shut down the supply of electricity to certain parts of the city on October 25 in order to conduct maintenance operations and install new equipment.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 25th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/281316-Newsinbriefx-1319484593/281316-Newsinbriefx-1319484593.JPG" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Power sector reforms: Former KESC chief likely to head transition</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/276826/power-sector-reforms-former-kesc-chief-likely-to-head-transition</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/276826/power-sector-reforms-former-kesc-chief-likely-to-head-transition#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 18 Oct 11 20:43:29 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Shahbaz Rana]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=276826</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[State-owned companies to be restructured to make them more efficient.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[As part of its bid to reform the state-owned power companies, the government has finalised the appointments to a 12-person board of directors of a holding company meant to oversee the transition, and is likely to nominate the former head of the Karachi Electric Supply Company to serve as its chairman.


Sources in the finance ministry told The Express Tribune that the top economic management team had finalised the names and the formal announcement would be made by the water and power ministry soon.

The nominations come on the heels of the government’s decision to merge four state-owned power generation companies at the policy-making level while retaining their operational independence. It has already constituted a holding company to speed up the process of structural reforms.

Sources said that one name currently being considered to head the holding company was Naveed Ismail, who was CEO of KESC until October 2009, when he resigned from the position. He is known as a turnaround specialist, though he was unable to move KESC towards profitability.

All 12 names have been selected based on their experience levels and lack of political affiliation. Among the tasks of the transition team will be to appoint CEOs for the four power generation companies that they will have supervision over.

The four companies have an installed power generation capacity of 4,900 megawatts, though the government is only generating 2,000 megawatts from them due to inefficient fuel consumption. Efficiency levels at the plants range between 24% and 31% (an efficiency level of above 40% is considered acceptable).

In order to compensate for the low efficiency, the government has been raising power tariffs. Late last week, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) increased tariffs by an average of Rs3.04 per unit on account of rising oil prices. The government is planning a further 12% increase before the end of the fiscal year to eliminate subsidies to the power sector.

Experts have been arguing that the government should accompany tariff increases with structural reforms in the power sector, something the government has struggled to do.

The power sector has exhausted the Rs11 billion injection of money that the government made in order to mitigate the financial crisis in the sector. This has again resulted in increases in the duration of power outages.

During the last cabinet meeting, no major decision on power sector reforms was taken except instituting two-day a week holiday in order to conserve energy. So far, only federal government institutions are observing a two-day weekend while Punjab, where most of the energy is consumed, has opposed the decision.

In the next cabinet meeting, the government is likely to take a decision about tackling the circular debt that according to various estimates ranges between Rs285 billion and Rs300 billion. Currently, the Pakistan Electric Power Company’s payables stand at Rs299 billion against Rs314 billion receivables.

The government has yet to find a solution to the penal charges problem. The independent power producers (IPPs) have worked out Rs24 billion penal charges on account of delay in payments. The IPPs are compelling the government to pay this amount which would ultimately be transferred to the end consumers.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/276826-NaveedIsmailC_1735627004/276826-NaveedIsmailC_1735627004.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>5-day working week: Pay your KESC Saturday bills on Monday</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/276300/5-day-working-week-pay-your-kesc-saturday-bills-on-monday</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/276300/5-day-working-week-pay-your-kesc-saturday-bills-on-monday#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 17 Oct 11 20:34:35 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=276300</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[KESC has extended its deadline for bill payments given the two holidays declared by the government.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) has extended its deadline for bill payments given the two holidays declared by the government. The following Monday is the deadline for bills that have to be paid on Saturdays as banks will be closed that day. This is for customers whose bill payment deadline falls on Saturdays during the month of October. The due dates of bills falling on three Saturdays of the month have been extended to the corresponding Mondays. Thus if your bill is due on October 15 you can pay it by October 17. If the due date is October 22 you can pay your bill by October 24 and if it is October 29 then the deadline has been moved to October 31. No late fee would be charged. The government decided to reduce the working week from six days to five.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/276300-Newsinbriefx-1318879587/276300-Newsinbriefx-1318879587.JPG" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Workers rights: KESC labour union prepare for battle</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/274283/workers-rights-kesc-labour-union-prepare-for-battle</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/274283/workers-rights-kesc-labour-union-prepare-for-battle#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 14 Oct 11 20:19:31 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[ppi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=274283</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Its labour union gave an ultimatum of ten days to the management to implement the agreement brokered on July 26.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[After a brief let-up in management-union rows in the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC), its labour union gave an ultimatum of ten days to the management to implement the agreement brokered on July 26. It also warned the management of re-launching a massive protest campaign if its demands are not met, they said on Friday. The president of the KESC CBA union, Usman Baloch, said that around 4,500 employees were not paid for the past five months plunging them into severe financial constraints. Baloch crticised strongly, to what he described as lame tactics of KESC for

circulating a video of workers protesting outside the utility office and implicating them as terrorists. “We went there on the eve of Eid Day to demand our salaries through peaceful means but security guards opened fire on our workers creating panic.” He appealed citizens to stand by them in a movement against violation of workers’ rights. The labour union never wanted to adopt an aggressive approach but management compelled them to take to the streets, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/274283-Newsinbriefx-1318620274/274283-Newsinbriefx-1318620274.JPG" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Power companies: KESC: Turnaround in the making?</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/273522/power-companies-kesc-turnaround-in-the-making</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/273522/power-companies-kesc-turnaround-in-the-making#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Oct 11 20:16:18 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[farooq.tirmizi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=273522</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Company’s management expects the utility to make a profit this year.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Merchant bankers generally know how to turn a profit and Abraaj Capital – major stakeholders in the Karachi Electric Supply Company – are no exception. Lost amidst the stories of protests against power outages and a chronic energy crisis is the remarkable story of a turnaround at the KESC, the utility provider to the largest city in Pakistan.

For the first time since the mid-1990s, KESC has had positive EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation), a key measure of the financial health of the company, of around Rs3.5 billion. While KESC still had a net loss of Rs9.4 billion after interest costs were taken into account, the company’s management claims that KESC is on track to turn a profit during the current fiscal year. There may be reasons to take their claims seriously.

For starters, the Abraaj-led team at KESC has had a singular obsession with efficiency. According to Tayyab Tareen, the company’s CFO, KESC has invested upwards of $1 billion – raised through both debt and equity – in improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of its power generation, as well as its transmission and distribution system. Those investments, it appears, are about to begin paying dividends.

Power generation units that had an efficiency of about 25% are now operating at twice that efficiency, bringing overall production costs down, said Tareen in an interview with The Express Tribune. The company is also in the process of bringing online a new 560-megawatt gas-fired power plant that is likely to further improve generation efficiency as well as lowering costs.

Getting the right fuel mix

“We now have enough installed capacity to serve the entire city of Karachi’s needs,” said Tareen. “The key issue is fuel. If [the state-owned] Sui Southern Gas Company provides us with the amount we need, there would be no power outages in Karachi.”

Fuel seems to be the biggest issue for the company. Gas-fired power plants cost an average of Rs5.35 per unit to produce electricity whereas those run on furnace oil cost about Rs18 per unit. Yet the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) only allows KESC to bill consumers at an average rate of about Rs9 per unit.

At the right mix of fuel, the company would be able to bring its production costs significantly down from the average of Rs15 per unit that it costs them now. The gas shortages throughout the country, however, have prevented KESC from lowering its production costs that way.

In the short term, the company has no option but to protest against what they see as an unfair gas rationing policy. Yet the KESC has already put in motion several plans that would improve its long term situation. It is collaborating with global oil giant Conoco Philips and Engro Vopak (a subsidiary of the Engro Corporation) to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) for its power plants.

Over the longer term, KESC is planning on converting many of its oil-fired power plants to coal, a far cheaper source of fuel with a much more readily available supply. The company is seeking financing for the conversion from China.

KESC has also begun talks with the UK-based Oracle Coalfields to begin mining the vast coalfields in Thar, though even imported coal is a cheaper fuel option than furnace oil. Oracle has engaged the services of Citigroup to finance the project.

Reducing transmission and distribution losses

KESC’s success in managing Pakistan’s only integrated utility company – and the only one privately owned – has become something of a litmus test for prospective foreign investors looking to supply an energy starved economy. Success by Abraaj in turning KESC around – especially given the fact that Karachi is probably one of the hardest areas to manage a utility company in Pakistan – is likely to be encouraging to many investors.

Yet the company still have to overcome many challenges. Its relationship with its labour union remains testy, though the acute phase of confrontation appears to be over. The company also has a hard time with transmission and distribution losses – caused by both infrastructure flaws and stealing – a key struggle for any power company operating in third world economies.

On the power distribution side, the good news is that the company has brought technical losses (caused by faulty infrastructure) down from 10% to 7%, according to company’s CFO. The bad news is that the losses from stealing have not substantially gone down from the level of 25% at which Abraaj inherited KESC.

Tareen laid out at least part of KESC’s strategy to overcome this challenge. The company has isolated its most lucrative clients and ensured that its collects its bills from them. Of its 2.4 million customers, about 45,000 industrial units account for 40% of the electricity consumed in the city. KESC’s collection rate with those customers is 99.8%.

While Tareen acknowledged that such successes will be hard to replicate, the company has also begun isolating “good areas” versus “bad areas” based on how much theft there is in each and then allocating its service resources accordingly – not conducting repairs in “bad” areas until they agree to remove illegal connections and pay their bills, for instance.

Abraaj’s exit

Ultimately, however, Abraaj’s exit plan rests on separating the integrated business into three separate companies and spinning each off separately. Instead of being one utility company, KESC would have one separate company for power generation, another for transmission and the third for distribution.

Since KESC’s losses are concentrated almost exclusively in the distribution segment (which also accounts for 70% of the labour force), the power generation and transmission businesses are likely to be sold off for a hefty profit, which should more than make up for the losses from the distribution segment.

This strategy – known as ‘unbundling’ within KESC – is already being put in place, though it still requires regulatory approval. KESC management is structured as three separate business units, each with its own chief operating officer, reporting to the group CEO and CFO.

Tareen, however, was quick to point out that Abraaj was in no hurry to leave KESC. “The fund which has invested in KESC has a life of 12 years, which is extendable. We have only been here for three.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/273522-kescprofitmon_1735627004/273522-kescprofitmon_1735627004.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Load Shedding: KESC announces power outage</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/271258/load-shedding-kesc-announces-power-outage</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/271258/load-shedding-kesc-announces-power-outage#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 Oct 11 03:15:22 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[ppi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=271258</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[load shedding on Tuesday, between 9 am to 5 pm for maintenance purposes.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Karachi Electric Supply Company has said that it will be undertaking load shedding on Tuesday, between 9 am to 5 pm, in order to install check meters, capacitors and pole-mounted transformers, high-tension spans, bus bar sleeves. It will also be doing some maintenance and as a result the power supply to around thirty areas will be disrupted.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2011. ]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/271258-Newsinbriefx-1318274949/271258-Newsinbriefx-1318274949.JPG" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Citizen Complaints: KESC removes kundas</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/269281/citizen-complaints-kesc-removes-kundas</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/269281/citizen-complaints-kesc-removes-kundas#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 07 Oct 11 20:00:46 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=269281</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Completed an operation against illegal power connections in Lines Area.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Karachi Electric Supply Company has completed an operation against illegal power connections in Lines Area, said a press release on Friday. Eight vehicles and security staff went to remove the illegal hook connections from the overhead main supply lines. They were highly dangerous, illegal connections which were latched on to the KESC system using wires normally used for telephones lines. KESC also acted on a complaint lodged by a resident on its anti-theft complaint email address. In a raid, a team removed large lengths of illegal connections in Scheme 33 of Gulzar-e-Hijri. A large quantity of dangerous PVC wires were removed at the root. Power theft can be reported on KESC’s call centre 118, or via email on ‘speakup@kesc.com.pk’. press release

Published in The Express Tribune, October 8th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/269281-Newsinbriefxfix-1318014759/269281-Newsinbriefxfix-1318014759.JPG" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Section 144 imposed within 100 yards of several KESC installations</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/268128/section-144-imposed-within-100-yards-of-several-kesc-installations</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/268128/section-144-imposed-within-100-yards-of-several-kesc-installations#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 06 Oct 11 09:57:39 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=268128</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Bans rally of 5 or more people within 100 yards of KESC surroundings to prevent public protests.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Sindh government imposed Section 144 within 100 yards of 29 Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) installations, reported Express 24/7 on Thursday.

The ban was put to safeguard the KESC mechanism from public protests.

The imposed section refrains a rally of five or more people within 100 yards of KESC surroundings.

According to the notification issued by the interior ministry, the ban is to be maintained for 90 days.

Moreover, the KESC has been instructed to elect a person who will point out the culprits.

The section has been placed on the request of KESC Chief Executive Tabish Gohar.

Fueled by continued power outages, mayhem spread across the country, with infuriated demonstrators attacking buildings, policemen and passing vehicles for a second consecutive day.

The hardest hit by the rioting were Punjab’s urban centres – where there were scores injured and arrested.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/268128-KESClogo-1317894954/268128-KESClogo-1317894954.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Pakistan’s power woes</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/267412/pakistan%e2%80%99s-power-woes</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/267412/pakistan%e2%80%99s-power-woes#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 05 Oct 11 16:45:07 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[khurram.husain]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=267412</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Protests, media coverage tends to churn summits, payments up a notch or 2; nonsense in fast forward is still nonsense.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[It’s here again. Every time the power crisis takes a turn for the worse, the same farce plays itself out. The ministry of water and power produces the same ‘plan’ they have been producing for almost four years now: early closure of shops and commercial centres, two day weekends, no ACs in government offices before 11am. The prime minister ‘directs’ that emergency payments be released for fuel supplies to particular IPPs (independent power producers). The finance ministry squeals about ‘reforms’. The ministry of petroleum ‘directs’ PSO to expedite furnace oil deliveries, and in the case of KESC, to provide this furnace oil at ‘gas prices’.

Meanwhile a hectic schedule of meetings gets underway in the capital. The same faces from the industry are summoned, and in the same rooms, they’re asked the same questions to which they give the same responses they gave last time. The Islamabad rumour mill buzzes briefly about heads about to roll in the state-owned power companies.

Somewhere in it all, a ‘summit’ is arranged. All the cabinet clowns gather for their photo op and their opportunity to make a presentation, usually the same one that has been made by the ministry for years now. Of course most of the MNAs were not able to make it on time, we are told, because their vehicles were stuck in traffic caused by the power riots.

The backdrop to the whole stage is rioting on the streets, and the attendant footage carried by the channels. Even here, it’s beginning to get old. The footage looks remarkably similar to the last time a mob went on a rampage due to prolonged power outages. You see one shot of a burning distribution company office and you’ve seen them all. I recall seeing that shot back in late summer 2008, when rioters attacked the head office of Mepco and were chased by some gun toting employee of the company. Remember that?

It’s not possible for this drama to play out any other way. Under the pressure of street protests and turbo charged media invective, the government leadership ramps up the speed of their daily routines, but not the substance. So if they normally have three meetings in a week, for instance, they’ll now have six. The outcome is still nothing; after all, six times zero is still zero. But the pace of things tends to churn up a notch or two; nonsense in fast forward is still nonsense. At the end of the day, the same resolution is always found. A payment is made, under duress, to key stakeholders. The fuel starts to flow, the turbines pick up their RPM, and electricity begins to crackle through the aging Pepco transmission and distribution system. The riots melt away, tires burned by the rioters are swept to the sides of the road, and all promises to advance reforms and to reprioritise gas allocations are swept away too. Until next time.

This time it’s bigger, for sure. All the metrics of the power crisis are bigger and badder this time round. The size of the receivables and payables, the size of the deficit, the size of the crowds on the streets, the volume of the political shrieking, it’s all bigger. The only element in the drama that has shrunk this time; is the size of the inevitable payout, the Rs10 billion paid to PSO on October 4, is smaller than in the past, promising a far smaller window of stability for a far larger crisis.

This time, we’re told, they’re getting serious. This time they want to bring professional CEOs and CFOs into the distribution companies. They want to ‘fast track’ the induction of private management into the generation companies. “There will be no more sacred cows in the matter of bill recoveries,” said Naveed Qamar in his midnight press conference on October 4. What were “sacred cows” doing in the picture to start off with, Mr Minister?

I’m sceptical for one simple reason: why were these steps not taken two years ago at the so-called ‘energy summit’? Is it because the scale of the rioting didn’t match what we’re seeing now? And why weren’t things followed up after that summit, such as prioritising natural gas allocations for power plants? The simple truth is they’ll run around and talk about reforms, but the moment the emergency money disbursed to PSO gets the power plants chugging again, and the rioters go home, it’ll be back to business as usual.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2011.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/267412-KhurramHusainNew-1317822692/267412-KhurramHusainNew-1317822692.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item>	</channel>
                </rss>
