Persistent power disruptions hitting industrial productivity: KCCI

KARACHI: President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Talat Mahmood has strongly condemned the prolonged load-shedding being carried out by K-Electric (KE) across Karachi, warning that persistent electricity disruptions are inflicting serious damage on industrial productivity, commercial activity, employment and the daily lives of millions of citizens.

Expressing grave concern over reports that K-Electric has extended load-shedding to areas previously exempted from scheduled power outages, Talat Mahmood said it was deeply disturbing that Karachi, the country’s principal commercial and industrial hub and a major contributor to the national exchequer, continued to suffer from an unreliable electricity supply despite the critical importance of uninterrupted power to its economic survival.

“Karachi cannot be expected to drive Pakistan’s economy while its industries, businesses and households are repeatedly plunged into darkness. Electricity is an essential service, not a privilege, and the people of this city cannot be left at the mercy of prolonged and unpredictable power outages. The KE must explain why Karachi continues to face this crisis and what concrete measures it is taking to resolve it permanently,” he asserted.

Referring to media reports highlighting up to 14 hours of daily load-shedding in certain localities and additional outages in areas previously exempted from scheduled cuts, President KCCI said the situation had crossed the limits of public tolerance.

He emphasised that electricity interruptions were not merely an inconvenience but a direct impediment to economic activity, industrial competitiveness and the country’s export performance.

Talat Mahmood pointed out that industries operating in Karachi were already grappling with high energy costs, rising production expenses and intense competition in international markets.

Additional power outages further increased operating costs, disrupted production schedules, damaged machinery-sensitive processes, delayed deliveries and jeopardised export commitments.

“Every hour of load-shedding means lost production, wasted resources, additional costs and mounting uncertainty for businesses. Exporters cannot fulfil international orders on the basis of an unreliable electricity supply, nor can manufacturers maintain productivity when production lines are repeatedly disrupted. The ultimate cost is borne by businesses, workers, consumers and Pakistan’s economy,” he said.

He stressed that small and medium-sized enterprises were particularly vulnerable because many could not afford expensive alternative power arrangements.

Prolonged outages also affected shops, markets, offices, service providers and countless daily-wage workers whose livelihoods depended on uninterrupted commercial activity.

While acknowledging that K-Electric had attributed the latest load management to nationwide RLNG supply constraints and international supply disruptions, President KCCI maintained that the resulting burden could not simply be transferred to consumers without transparent explanations, effective contingency planning and every possible effort to minimise disruptions.

“We understand that fuel supply constraints can create genuine challenges for electricity generation. However, such circumstances make contingency planning, transparent communication and efficient utilisation of available resources even more important. Consumers cannot be expected to absorb the consequences of every supply-side difficulty through prolonged power cuts, without clear timelines or a credible plan for relief,” he maintained.

Talat Mahmood called upon K-Electric to immediately review its load-management arrangements, maximise the utilisation of available generation capacity and electricity supplies, coordinate effectively with the relevant federal authorities and take all possible measures to restore normal supply at the earliest.

The president KCCI also urged the federal and provincial governments, the Ministry of Energy and the relevant regulatory authorities to intervene urgently, assess the actual causes and extent of the crisis, and ensure that the electricity shortfall was managed through a transparent, equitable and time-bound mechanism.

He reiterated that KCCI would continue to raise the concerns of the business community at every relevant forum and pursue practical measures to secure reliable and affordable electricity for Karachi’s industries, commercial establishments and residents.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026