National Assembly panel takes stock of inflated power bills

Committee also discusses water shortage in Karachi, police brutality

ISLAMABAD: Lawmakers on Wednesday piled up complaints during the meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Rules and Privileges against different federal and provincial departments for overcharging electricity consumers, the water shortage in Karachi, delay in the completion of development projects and failure to curb police brutality.

The meeting was chaired by MNA Qasim Khan Noon. MNA Syed Fazal Ali Shah Jilani raised the issue of breach of his privilege as power supply to his house was suspended by Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Zonal Chairman Aqeel Junejo.

The chairman formed a subcommittee to resolve the issue after Power Secretary Irfan Ali assured the panel that he would ascertain the facts of the case.

The members observed that power distribution companies were overbilling consumers and also involved in corrupt practices.

The chairman directed the secretary to activate vigilance committees in the electricity distribution companies to prevent the misuse of authority by officials.

The power secretary said his ministry had launched a countrywide campaign against electricity theft and also terminated the services of employees indulging in corrupt practices.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan remarked that public servants should appear before the committee and seconded the view that electricity theft was a serious problem.

Shagufta Jumani maintained that factories were being run in Hyderabad without electricity connections.

The committee members expressed their resentment over the uploading of a video by a Wapda official to defame MNA Fazal Ali Shah.

Shahnawaz Ranjha said the law did not allow employees to post videos on social media for the character assassination of a sitting MNA.

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The committee members also expressed displeasure over the absence of high-ups of different departments from the meeting.

MNA Attaullah raised his question of privilege about the non-cooperation of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) managing director.

As the KWSB MD was absent from the meeting, the chairman issued a notice to ensure his presence in the next meeting.

Attaullah also said his privilege was further breached as Humayun Sagheer, the regional head of the K-Electric, had failed to resolve problems of his constituents and was overcharging billions of rupees from the consumers.

He said his constituents were putting up with power outages even during odd hours at night.

“The water board has failed to curb water theft and leakage and its officials are patronising a mafia instead,” he added.

An official of K-Electric informed the committee that his company was carrying out power outages only in areas with a high electricity theft rate.

On a privilege motion of MNA Sher Akbar, the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) chief executive said projects of the member's constituency including a grid station and transmission lines would be completed according to availability of funds.

The chairman also formed a subcommittee to review the standards for providing security to legislators.

MNA Abdul Majeed Niazi, while narrating a harrowing story of his relative being subjected to by police, said he and his family members were being implicated in false cases and were being harassed.

While taking up different questions of privilege of MNAs, the chairman directed that healthcare facilities should be improved for the members of parliament and best hospitals should be included in the panel for their medical treatment.

Qasim Noon also summoned the finance and communication secretaries to the next meeting to discuss the deployment of police on newly opened motorways, lack of service areas and unnecessary toll collection.

On a privilege motion of MNA Ahmed Hassan Dehar, he also summoned the Punjab home secretary for a briefing on laws governing the bifurcation of towns and municipal limits in districts.