SC censures KMC for poor performance

Sindh govt directed to pay the unpaid dues to KE in instalments

KARACHI: The Supreme Court (SC) again directed the Sindh government to pay the unpaid dues to K-electric (KE) on behalf of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) in instalments. The court also directed the parties to suggest a solution for the conflict between KMC and KE regarding the non-payment of dues. A two-member bench, comprising Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Mazhar Alam, was hearing the case on Tuesday at the SC Karachi Registry.

Justice Ahmed remarked, "What is going on in the city? KE makes their claims and KMC says something else. Where is the writ of the government if KMC is unable to pay the dues?" He added that the electricity connections of KMC should be cut off if they don't pay the bills. "Who cares if KMC is not there in the city. We are well aware of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital's condition. The patients are abandoned in the hospital while doctors sit in their air-conditioned rooms." Justice Ahmed said that the officials should be kept without electricity let alone in air-conditioned rooms.

The counsel for the Sindh government said that they had sent a letter to the accountant-general for the payment of Rs100 million to KE, to which the counsel for KE replied that they hadn't received the amount.



The court said that the electricity connections of those who don't pay their bills should be cut off, adding that the connection of Sindh Assembly should be cut off first if the government fails to pay the bills.

Justice Ahmed remarked, "What has KMC done for the public anyway, the officials should spend some time without electricity and they will know how the public suffers." The counsel for KMC argued that the street lights in the city also use electricity, to which Justice Ahmed remarked that we live in the same city and we know very well that no street lights are on. The performance of KMC is next to nothing while electricity worth billions of rupees is wasted.

Dr Saifur Rehman, the Metropolitan Commissioner, appeared before the bench on the court's orders. The court directed the parties to suggest a solution to this issue and remarked that the only solution to this problem is that KE cut off the electricity supply of KMC so that KMC pays their dues.

Justice Ahmed also said that the city has become a litter dump. Encroachments have started to emerge again. "I visited the Empress Market myself to see the situation two days ago, and encroachments are still present in surroundings," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 8^th, 2019.