Industrialists urge govt to take over KESC management
KARACHI: The President of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Abrar Ahmed, and the leader of Businessmen Group, Siraj Kassam Teli, along with officer-bearers and chairmen of seven towns industrial associations have urged the government to take over the management of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC).
Addressing a joint press conference at KCCI office on Monday, they alleged that KESC had miserably failed to meet the power demand of industrial, commercial and residential areas of the city.
They assured the government that business community has the capability to run the power utility smoothly.
They also demanded of the government to put the names of top management persons of KESC on Exit Control List (ECL). They also urged the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of KESC
Teli said that the legal notices served on him and the president of KCCI were not against them only but against the entire business community.
About their plan of going to court against KESC, Teli said that there was no need to go to court and file separate cases. "KESC has already gone to court and we are fully prepared to fight the case. In the next few day, we will send reply to the legal notice," he added.
Referring to KESC's claim that industries are using gas to generate their own power, he said that "there are more then 17,000 industries in Karachi, out of them hardly 100 have capacity to produce their own power and rest are totally dependent of KESC".
He alleged that the KESC was playing political game and its intentions look to e aimed at destroying the industries.
He said that industrialists who are the basic pay masters of KESC dues were sustaining billions of rupees losses due to load shedding in industrial and commercial areas. "Load shedding is not only damaging industrial production but is also damaging Pakistan's image in international market as a result of failure to meet export commitments," he added.
Teli and Abrar said that "there is definite conspiracy against people of Karachi, wherein consumers are paying their dues on time and KESC is not paying its dues to SSGC and PSO. Where do these funds go?"
They demanded that cash flow of KESC needs to be scrutinised.
They said they felt that the government of Pakistan should appoint an auditor to oversee cash flows.
They said that the industrialists have no concern whether the KESC is paying or not paying dues to SSGC, or SSGC is not supply gas to KESC. "Industrials and all other sectors have grave worry that when 98 percent industries are paying KESC its dues on time they must get electricity without any break".
They also demanded of the government to make public the privatisation agreement of KESC.
Industrialists alleged that the KESC had deliberately suspended supply of electricity, on one pretext or another, like cable fault, short supply of gas from Sui Soother Gas Company (SSGC) and insufficient quantity of furnace oil to run the generators' motors.
The industrialists said that they were unable to understand how the government would be able to meet export target, bring down unemployment graph and collect revenues when it has failed to direct Karachi Elected Supply Company (KESC) to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply in industrial areas.
Sindh Board of Investment Chairman Zubair Motiwala said that KESC had announced new load shedding plan on Monday, which would cripple industrial operation.
According to the schedule, power will remain off from 9 am to 1 pm and from 5 pm to 9 pm.
Those who were present in the press conference included Senior Vice President of KCCI Younus Muhammad Bashir, Vice President of KCCI Zia Ahmed Khan, Tahir Khaliq, Zubair Motiwala, Haroon Farooki, Anjum Nisar, Majid Aziz, KATI Chairman Ehtishamuddin, FBAATI Chairman Masroor Alvi, SAI Chairman Mohammad Irfan Moton, NKATI Chairman Abdul Rasheed Fodderwala, and LATI Chairman Ziad Bashir, and others.