KARACHI: K-Electric (KE) continued its efforts to curb electricity theft and improve recovery in Karachi’s Saddar area, conducting 38 drives that removed more than 1,300 illegal connections weighing more than 1,700 kilogrammes since the start of this calendar year. These drives have helped save around 1.45 million units of electricity, reducing the overall impact of theft on the area’s loss profile. Such an approach has helped KE in keeping 88% of its feeder network in the area completely load-shedding free, serving the hub of commercial activity in Karachi.
In addition to these drives, KE has organised 56 customer facilitation camps including mini camps in Saddar to assist residents in clearing pending electricity dues, resolving complaints, and shifting towards legal electricity connections.
K-Electric’s Head of Distribution Operations Khurram Abdullah said, “Such drives are conducted to reduce the loss of electricity due to theft and create a safer community for residents by removing hazards. The illegal connections bypass the network’s safety protocols, increasing risks to KE’s infrastructure and safety hazard for citizens, especially during the monsoon season.”
Of the 100 feeders in Saddar IBC, 88 are exempt from load-shedding, including those supplying power to key locations such as Cantt Station, Civil Lines, Saddar Bazar, Bolton Market, II Chundrigar Road, surroundings of Governor House, and Shahrah-e-Faisal.
However, some areas with a higher incidence of theft and outstanding dues include Bizerta Lines, Hijrat Colony, Railway Colony, and Sultanabad. These areas have outstanding dues of PKR 1.1 billion, which poses a challenge for the power utility in giving the entire Saddar district load-shedding free status.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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