Slamming K-Electric (KE) over extended, unannounced load-shedding in the metropolis and overbilling of customers, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) warned that it would stage a protest outside Parliament House in Islamabad if the power utility did not resolve these issues.
The MQM-P leadership addressed a press conference on the matter at their headquarters in Bahadurabad on Tuesday.
"The misery of Karachi's citizens is increasing day by day as a result of power cuts and overbilling by KE. We have no option but to protest against KE if it does not fix these issues," stated senior party leader Amir Khan.
"Even areas paying 100 per cent of their bills are witnessing unannounced load-shedding for hours, while matters are even worse in localities such as Liaquatabad, New Karachi, North Karachi, Landhi, Korangi and Orangi Town," he said, adding that the recent hike in KE's tariff was injustice to the citizens.
Khan pointed out that while KE previously received 650 megawatts of electricity from the national grid, this had been upped to 800MW. Meanwhile, he claimed, the supply of gas was also nearly doubled through the MQM-P's efforts, but since KE had failed to increase its power generation capacity or improve its supply system, the citizens were unable to benefit.
He claimed the party had nominated names to be part of a committee to resolve the issue during a meeting at Governor House, but the committee and the governor, too, appeared to be helpless before the power supply company.
"We have repeatedly met the KE administration and raised the matter with the prime minister and the federal energy minister, but in vain," he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 9th, 2020.
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