Centre once again blamed for load-shedding in Sindh

Holding the federal government responsible for the continued load-shedding across Sindh, provincial energy minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh claimed that the Power Division did not take action on the matter because of the Centre's grudge against Sindh's people, who had not voted for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

He was addressing a press conference on Monday after meeting the heads of K-Electric, Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) and Sukkur Electrical Power Company (Sepco).

According to Shaikh, Hesco and Sepco used to return 550 megawatts of electricity as a surplus, but areas being powered by them were now facing long hours of load-shedding each day. Meanwhile, he added, KE was carrying out announced load-shedding of seven to nine hours,
but had no limit for unannounced power cuts.

He claimed that Sindh reported the highest energy loss and electricity theft, but the Centre was uninterested in taking action to help Sindh's people. Furthermore, he added that illegal electricity connections could not remain in place without the connivance of Water and Power Development Authority, Hesco and Sepco officials.

The minister also called for the National Electrical Power Regulatory Authority chairperson and Federal Energy Minister Omar Ayub to visit Karachi and tell its people when the city's power woes would be resolved.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 21^st, 2020.