MQM supports Opposition''s demand to revoke KESC sell-off accord

The government on Thursday sought the help of the Parliament to send a ''strong'' message to the Karachi Electricity Supply Corporation (KESC) over its failure to overcome lingering power crisis. Water and Power Minister Liaquat Jatoi told the lower house that the government had serious concerns over performance of the KESC management.
The opposition parties as well as Muttahida Qaumi Movement called for revoking the agreement to re-nationalise KESC. The opposition parties and one of the government''s major allies-MQM took the government to task and called for immediate steps to address the issue of countrywide loadshedding, especially in Karachi.
Responding to a calling attention notice, Liaqat Jatoi said Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has called KESC management on June 19 to discuss the power crisis in the city. He conceded that Siemens has not followed the agreement particularly regarding investment for power generation despite repeated assurances.
Jatoi urged the parliamentarians to send a ''strong'' message from the floor of the house to KESC administration to implement the agreement otherwise the government has other options ''too''. He told the National Assembly that the government was paying Rs 1 billion per month to the KESC yet almost three plants were out of order.
The Water and Power Minister also complained that people did not cooperate with the government in implementation of national conservation policy envisaged to meet the power crisis.
Meanwhile, the opposition parties staged two walkouts from the National Assembly one against non-serious attitude of the finance ministry''s officials who were missing from the official chamber while the house was debating federal budget 2007-08.
PPP lawmaker Khursheed Shah voiced that neither ministers were present nor the officials of the finance ministry were paying any attention to the opposition''s recommendations regarding the federal budget to be passed by the lower house in next few days. Following his protest, the combined opposition stormed out of the house against the lethargic attitude of government functionaries.
The opposition parties also staged another token walkout to condemn the murder of Wasif Aziz, a student leader of Muttahida Tulba Rehnuma Mahaz in Karachi.
The proceedings of the house mainly remained calm, as the opposition termed the budget jugglery of figures whereas the treasury members were of the view that a development-oriented budget was presented by the government.
The opposition benches ridiculed 15 percent raise in salaries and pensions and pressed the government to make a reasonable increase in government employees'' salaries and pensions. But the government said it should be acknowledged for presenting a very generous budget.