‘Neither private companies nor rulers care about the rights of the people’

Leader of consumer rights groupwilling to take KESC to court.

KARACHI:

Consumers enjoy rights all over the world, especially Europe, but in Pakistan, these rights are sabotaged, said Muhammad Hussain Mehnati, the president of the Pakistan National Consumer Movement and Karachi Amir of the Jamaat-e-Islami.

He said that it was not only private companies who did not care about the people but the rulers have become apathetic as well. While criticising the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC), he pointed out that about 2,000 residents of Gizerabad, which is near Ranchore Line, have been suffering since power supply to the locality was stopped a month ago. “The issue of load shedding and excess billing increased after the power utility was privatised in 2005. This is just one example – the power utility gives problems to people all over the city,” he added.

He warned the KESC that if it made the lives of people miserable, his organisation will go to court to demand justice. Mehanti added that the price of commodities will rise before Ramazan and concrete measures should be taken by the government to ensure relief to people.

“Special packages are announced in other countries before arrival of holy events, but in Pakistan it is the other way around,” he said. Mehnati also demanded the government to stop CNG load shedding. “It cripples the routine life. It disturbs the whole system.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2012.