KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi interim Ameer Munim Zafar has demanded immediate relief for Karachiites against the power crisis and accountability for the K-Electric.
The JI leader made the demand at a press conference held at Idara Noor-e-Haq the JI Karachi headquarters, here on Friday. He was flanked by MPA Farooq Farhan, Muslim Pervez, Raja Arif Sultan, Zahid Askari and others.
Speaking on the occasion, he demanded forensic audit of the KE accounts and presented an eye opening comparison between the performances of the same entity before and after its privatisation.
He recalled that the then KESC was privatised in order to minimize the load-shedding and losses and subsidiaries and to enhance power production and maintain supply. For the past 18 years of privatisation, the KE has decreased its production from 9304 million units to 7334 million units — showing a whopping decline of 19 percent instead of posting any increase, he said.
Despite over 90 percent increase in consumers from 1.8 million in 2005 to 3.4 million in 2024, no serious effort was made to address the issue, he said, adding that the load shedding period has been increased in various areas of the city.
Zafar said that the KESC was privatised to end the subsidiaries but subsidiaries have been increased by an unbelievable 9,000 percent from Rs 1.5 billion in 2005 to Rs 137 billion in the current year.
The JI leader further said that the party will hold a press conference outside KE headquarters to announce its future course of action on May 7, 2024. He said that the JI will also fight the case of Karachiites in Nepra hearing.
He also lambasted the power regulator and said that the authority also shared the responsibility for what the KE has been doing to Karachiites.
On the occasion, he expressed grave concerns over the situation in the University of Karachi and the prolonged pen down strike in the varsity. He said that the JI supports all the due demands of teachers. He also demanded Rs 2 billion immediately for the university to address the financial aspect of the issue.
He also shed light on the K4 water supply project and the Safe City Project in the backdrop of President Asif Ali Zardari visit to Karachi.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024