Karachi’s electricity consumers: Sindh PA rejects Rs50bn extra burden

KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a joint resolution rejecting NEPRA’s decision to burden Karachi’s electricity consumers with an additional Rs50 billion through inflated bills.

The resolution, jointly tabled by Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Aamir Siddiqui, Pakistan Peoples Party’s Heer Ismail Soho, and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Shabbir Qureshi, drew rare consensus from both the treasury and opposition benches.

During the heated debate that preceded the vote, lawmakers from across party lines slammed power distribution companies—K-Electric, HESCO, and SEPCO—for prolonged load shedding, overbilling, and poor service delivery in Sindh. The criticism came amid soaring temperatures and mounting public frustration over unrelenting outages and unaffordable electricity bills.

Sindh Minister for Information, Transport, and Mass Transit, Sharjeel Inam Memon, said that despite repeated resolutions against power companies over multiple assembly sessions, the authorities have shown no willingness to address public grievances. He revealed that the provincial government had started distributing solar systems to residents enduring extreme heat, but acknowledged it was a temporary measure. A sustainable and long-term solution to the energy crisis, he stressed, was essential.

Proposing a way forward, Sharjeel Inam Memon called for the immediate introduction of prepaid electricity meters to curb theft and resolve billing disputes. He said electricity companies must either adopt this mechanism or end the collective punishment of entire neighborhoods due to the non-payment or illegal connections by a few.

According to him, a prepaid system would ensure fair and individual accountability, eliminating the need for blanket penalties. He urged the federal government and NEPRA to act justly, asserting that paying consumers must not suffer for the misdeeds of defaulters or the inefficiencies of power companies.

Opposition Leader Ali Khurshidi echoed these sentiments, stating the resolution reflected the will of the province’s largest elected forum and should be respected by federal authorities. He warned that ignoring the voice of the assembly would undermine the very purpose of parliamentary representation. Condemning the hike as unjust and exploitative, he accused K-Electric of extorting the people of Karachi under the guise of billing adjustments and demanded that the decision be reversed.

Presenting the resolution, Aamir Siddiqui of MQM said NEPRA’s July 18 directive was tantamount to economic sabotage against Karachi’s industrial base. He warned that factories were already relocating to other provinces and alleged that the Rs50 billion surcharge was a cover for K-Electric’s own inefficiencies. He insisted there was no constitutional basis for collective punishment and criticized NEPRA for issuing the order without public consultation.

PTI’s Shabbir Qureshi called for raising the 200-unit threshold for residential consumers to 300 units, arguing that the current billing slabs unfairly penalize the poor. Asif Musa of PPP supported the proposal, pointing out that a single-unit increase beyond the 200-unit mark could push household bills to Rs10,000, a cost far beyond the reach of low-income families.

PPP’s Heer Soho highlighted the uncontrolled load shedding in interior Sindh, saying most areas only receive electricity for two hours at a time. Jamil Soomro likened power companies to the East India Company, accusing them of arbitrary behavior. He pointed out that in cities like Larkana, power outages last up to 18 hours, compelling citizens to turn to solar alternatives.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025