Electrocution of two real brothers: JI MPA files complaint against KE with Nepra

KARACHI: Member Provincial Assembly Muhammad Farooq has filed a formal complaint with the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) against K-Electric Limited, holding the company responsible for the electrocution of two real brothers in Shah Faisal Colony during the recent monsoon rains.

According to the complaint, two real brothers, Murad Sultan, 21, and Siraj Sultan, 12, died on August 19, 2025, when the younger sibling came into contact with an underground 11,000-volt high-tension cable submerged in rainwater. The elder brother was also fatally electrocuted while trying to rescue him.

The complaint quoted family members of the victims as saying that the high-tension cable was buried at a dangerously shallow depth of only two feet, instead of the required seven to eight feet. It alleged that this blunder was a result of negligent repair work carried out by K-Electric.

An FIR has already been registered against the CEO of K-Electric and officials of the Shah Faisal IBC under Sections 322 and 268/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

In his submission, MPA Muhammad Farooq termed the incident a blatant violation of several provisions of the Nepra Act, 1997, K-Electric’s distribution license, and the Nepra Performance Standards (Distribution) Rules, 2005. He cited Nepra’s own precedents, particularly the MEPCO Order of February 3, 2025, where the regulator held a distribution company liable for deaths caused by unsafe infrastructure.

The complaint called upon Nepra to initiate enforcement proceedings against K-Electric under the Nepra Act and Fine Regulations and to impose strict monetary penalties for its failure to maintain a safe distribution system. It further urged the regulator to direct the utility to compensate the victims’ family on the same basis as employee fatality compensation.

The Jamaat-e-Islami leader also demanded corrective measures, including the proper burial of underground cables, effective earthing, and the adoption of a comprehensive safety culture. “This tragedy has not only devastated the affected family but has also plunged the entire neighbourhood into grief. It is not merely an accident but a symbol of institutional negligence, which requires Nepra’s urgent attention,” Muhammad Farooq stated in his letter.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025