Power outages during rains: Sharjeel criticises KE, HESCO for ‘incompetence’

KARACHI: Senior Provincial Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit, Sharjeel Inam Memon, stated that since June, rainfall caused by climate change has led to loss of life across various regions of the country.

According to him, 427 deaths occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 165 in Punjab, 40 in Sindh, 22 in Balochistan, 56 in Azad Kashmir, and 8 in Islamabad. In Tharparkar, 198 mm of rainfall resulted in the deaths of 3 individuals and 18 livestock.

During a press conference, the minister said that on August 19, the city recorded an average of over 120 mm of rainfall. Specific areas saw even higher levels: 246 mm in Manghopir, 190 mm in Korangi, 175 mm in Gulzar-e-Hijri, and 149 mm in North Nazimabad. He noted that continuous rainfall led to urban flooding and traffic disruptions, which could have been mitigated had the rain occurred intermittently.

Sharjeel Inam Memon urged the federal government to pay attention to this city, which contributes 70 percent of the national revenue and offers the best healthcare facilities in Pakistan.

He emphasized that Karachi is a city where thousands of people from across the country come daily for employment.

Sharjeel Memon stated that most deaths in Karachi were caused by electrocution, and criticized K-Electric and HESCO for their incompetence, as power outages lasted up to 48 hours in some areas. Despite this, municipal bodies, the mayor, and provincial administration remained active on the streets. Drainage channels had been cleaned in advance, and heavy machinery was deployed for water disposal, although some shortcomings did occur.

He expressed regret over the public’s suffering and offered an apology on behalf of the Sindh government. However, he condemned certain media houses for launching a coordinated campaign against the government. He pointed out that parties criticizing the current administration had themselves witnessed hundreds of deaths during minor rainfalls in their own tenures, leaving cities paralyzed for days.

The minister said the Sindh government had declared a public holiday and urged citizens to stay indoors. According to the Meteorological Depart-ment, the rain spell is expected to end soon. He praised the performance of all town chairmen and emphasized that such moments require collective action, not political point-scoring.

He added that the Meteorological Depart-ment had not forecast heavy rain on August 19, but an unexpected spell occurred. The provincial government, from the Chief Minister to sanitary workers, remained active day and night, fulfilling their responsibilities. He stressed that political opportunism should be avoided during such crises.

Responding to a question about Farooq Sattar, he said he had no objection to sitting with him, but noted that Sattar has a history of constant criticism. He questioned why Sattar boycotted the elections if he was genuinely concerned about municipal institutions. He remarked that some individuals in MQM issue statements merely to assert their presence.

He reiterated that K-Electric and HESCO disappointed citizens, with power outages lasting up to 48 hours in several areas. However, he commended Murtaza Wahab for being present everywhere. He noted that even developed countries are facing severe challenges due to climate change, and warned that a cloudburst could lead to even worse conditions.

On the topic of bail granted to the PTI founder, he extended congratulations and affirmed that respecting court decisions is mandatory for all. In response to a question, he said discussions cannot be based on assumptions, and any constitutional amendment would be deliberated across all party forums.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025