Top court reproaches K-E for prolonged load-shedding

SC wants detailed report on situation by May 20, orders power utility to stop unnecessary suspensions

KARACHI: The Supreme Court (SC) came down hard on K-Electric (K-E) on Saturday on unannounced load-shedding in the city, summoning a detailed report on the situation by May 20.

Hearing a suo motu action at the Karachi Registry on Saturday, a three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising justices Faisal Arab and Sajjad Ali Shah, ordered that a comprehensive plan be devised to eradicate load-shedding.

Justice Nisar questioned which authority had allowed load-shedding to be carried out in the city. This is criminal negligence, he said, adding that a case should be registered against the authorities.

The court expressed anger at the K-E and Hyderabad Electric Supply Company administrations over prolonged load-shedding in Karachi and Hyderabad.

The CJP questioned whether privatisation meant throwing Karachiites in hell. Expressing anger at the K-E authorities, he said that residents of Karachi are suffering. “Are you not responsible for supplying electricity to them?” he questioned the K-E representatives.



The K-E counsel maintained that the load-shedding was often the result of various faults developing in their systems, which prompted the CJP to ask why there was no backup system in such situations. The power utility’s CEO Tayyab Tareen replied that K-E generates 2,650 megawatts of electricity while the demand of the city is 3,200MW. The bench observed that Ramazan is about to begin and the city’s residents will suffer throughout the month.

The CJP questioned who granted the company permission to carry out load-shedding and said that an order to register a case against him could be issued for criminal negligence. Barring K-E from carrying out unnecessary load-shedding as part of its load management, the court summoned a detailed report on the issue by May 20.

After being informed by the Hesco chief that an operation was being carried out against power thieves, the CJP remarked that if load-shedding is not ended, power supply to the Hesco chief’s house will be suspended for 12 hours and permission to run generators will not be granted.

Water woes

Separately, the same bench gave one-month to Mayor Wasim Akhtar to clean the city’s drains. The bench was hearing a case relating to supply of clean water and sanitation.



The CJP asked the mayor about the number of drains that have been cleaned as of now. Akhtar responded that work has begun, a plan devised and tenders are in the process. Karachi has 36 major drains.

Justice Nisar questioned when the mayor would give the good news that Karachi’s dirt has been cleaned up. Justice Arab remarked that the monsoons are coming, questioning what would happen then. The CJP told the mayor that the situation should not worsen during the monsoon season.

Akthar informed the court that progress will be visible within 15 days. “Mr mayor, we have to work collectively. An unpolluted environment is the right of every citizen. Everyone should play their part and you should devote yourself to public service,” said the CJP.

Directing the government to convey its issues regarding hurdles in tenders and developmental work to the judicial commission on water and sanitation, the bench granted the mayor one-month to clean the city’s drains.

Milk issue

The SC also ordered that packaged milk across the country be tested and ‘not real milk’ be written on all skimmed milk packages.



The CJP remarked that this is an issue relating to the health of our children and there will be no compromise on it. The hearing of the case regarding the sale of poor quality milk was also held at the Karachi Registry.

The court ordered the commissioner to check the quality of milk of different companies. The CJP ordering the retesting of Millac milk, remarked that the ban on companies whose milk report is satisfactory should be removed.