Govt draws PPP flak over Karachi blackouts

MNAs accuse govt of downplaying power crisis severity

ISLAMABAD:

Tempers flared in the National Assembly on Friday as PPP lawmakers came out swinging against K-Electric and the federal government over the ongoing power crisis in Karachi.

PPP lawmakers threw down the gauntlet, challenging they would resign if they failed to substantiate claims of 16 to 20 hours of daily power outages in the city. They went on to accuse the government of downplaying the severity of the situation.

The heated debate arose amid reports of extensive power outages in several Karachi neighbourhoods, including Korangi, Lyari, North Karachi, and Surjani, which are experiencing over 12 hours of loadshedding daily during the sweltering summer heat.

Minister of State for Finance, Revenue, and Power Division Ali Pervaiz Malik addressed the assembly, stating that K-Electric had achieved zero loadshedding on 1,500 out of 2,109 feeders in Karachi. 

He responded to a calling attention notice by explaining that loadshedding of 6 to 10 hours was occurring on feeders with higher losses.

"The losses of ten feeders have exceeded 25%, and efforts are being made to reduce these losses with the help of local administration and public representatives," Malik said, asserting that no areas were experiencing 16-hour blackouts.

Read PPP blasts govt over Karachi blackouts

PPP MNA Nabeel Gabol contested Malik’s statement, insisting that his Lyari constituency faced 16-hour outages. He accused the minister of being misled by inaccurate reports from departments. Gabol challenged Malik to resign if the actual loadshedding duration exceeded 10 hours, promising to resign himself if it did not.

Malik explained that the electricity tariff was regulated by the National Electrical Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) and that price hikes were due to fuel price adjustments, not changes in electricity rates. 

He acknowledged that technical issues could cause outages exceeding 10 hours and assured that the concerns of National Assembly members would be addressed.

The minister promised to visit Karachi to resolve the issue, maintaining that agreements on net metering would not be compromised. He highlighted the government’s commitment to promoting renewable energy and addressing transformer losses to alleviate problems for consumers on high-loss feeders