Recovery of Rs68bn dues from ‘regular bill payers’: KE faces backlash from traders

KARACHI: The city traders on Monday announced that they will strongly resistance if K-Electric attempts to recover its outstanding dues of Rs68 billion from regular bill-paying citizens and traders, warning of intensified protests if such a move is made.

At a seminar titled “K-Electric: Responsible for Starvation and Economic Collapse” which was organized at Karachi Press Club, traders showed resentment over the power cuts that ravaged their businesses despite paying “hefty bills”.

Mehmood Hamid, President of the Small Traders Organization Karachi, urged the government not to allow K-Electric to recover electricity charges sold through illegal connections (kundas) from lawful bill-payers. He accused K-Electric of becoming akin to “the East India Company, seeking a legal license to loot the public”.

Atiq Mir, President of the Karachi Traders Ittehad, criticized K-Electric’s “rigid” billing policies and persistent load-shedding, which he claimed had devastated Karachi’s economy, shutting down 90 percent of cottage industries. He threatened traders will boycott bill payments if the situation persists.

Javed Abdullah, Chairman of the Confectionery Association, called on the government to address traders’ grievances and rescue them from K-Electric’s oppression. Similarly, Akhtar Shahid, a leader from Hyderi Market, declared the start of their struggle against the “injustices” of K-Electric, vowing not to retreat.

Speaking at the seminar, Tariq Iftikhar emphasized that while the government cannot provide jobs, it should at least protect existing livelihoods and save citizens from K-Electric’s “extortion”. Adil Karachiwala, leader of the Socho Karachi Tehreek, expressed full support for the traders’ demands and pledged to stand with their strategy.

Aslam Khan, General Secretary of the Cooperative Market, said traders are now united and will not succumb to any pressure. Jamaat-e-Islami leader Imran Shahid criticized K-Electric’s customer care centers, calling them “torture cells” where women seeking rectification of electricity bills are “mistreated and threatened.”

He argued that K-Electric’s corruption and load-shedding have ruined Karachi’s economy and declared that Pakistan’s economy and K-Electric cannot coexist.

Shahid demanded the cancellation of K-Electric’s license, a forensic audit of the company, and the recovery of looted funds from those responsible. He highlighted Jamaat-e-Islami’s ongoing campaign against K-Electric’s “exploitation”, vowing to continue until its monopoly ends.

Other trader representatives, including Javed Abdullah and Syed Akhtar Shahid, warned K-Electric against underestimating the traders’ strength.

They argued that traders contribute 70 percent of the country’s revenue and will no longer tolerate the oppression of K-Electric, which has crippled Karachi’s industries and plunged its citizens into poverty.

The leaders resolved to continue their struggle until K-Electric’s “oppressive practices” are stopped, and its operations are brought to justice.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024