The conflict started about a month back when KESC began to “rationalise” their distribution, as termed by the KESC spokesperson, Ameenur Rahman, which meant that its strategic entities would be separated to provide an uninterrupted supply only to the hospital.
As the KESC brought new transformers to install in the area, Rahman said that a group of men opened fire on the KESC team and destroyed two brand new transformers. In response, the KESC refused to install them and the area did not have electricity for two days.
Thereafter, the company managed to separate the supply of the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital from Nazimabad which resulted in scheduled load shedding for the residents and according to KESC, did not sit well with them.
“At around 3 am, when no one is around at our centres, men open aerial firing,” alleged Rahman. “They have also stopped some of our vehicles and beaten the drivers.”
The KESC reported that 12 trucks and two cranes were damaged and four vehicles were torched, but no FIR has been registered.
Since the vehicles belong to the contractors, an FIR could be registered by them but they have been reluctant as they suspect that the miscreants are being backed by influential members. Meanwhile, the Nazimabad MPA Rehan Zafar suggested that the situation goes beyond a strong reaction to load shedding.“There is absolutely no dispute between the area’s people and KESC,” said Zafar. “Load shedding throughout the city is per KESC’s guidelines and people are aware of that. These are merely criminal tactics by certain elements for exemption from load shedding.”
The Shameem Shaheed SHO Iqtidar Alam said that security has been deployed at the KESC office in the area but neither KESC nor the contractors are willing to register an FIR.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 3rd, 2012.
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