October 15, 2008	Wednesday	Shawwal 15, 1429

KARACHI, Oct 14: After a three-day debate, the City Council on Tuesday adopted a unanimous resolution urging the federal government to direct the Karachi Electric Supply Company to withdraw the recent increase in tariff and help ease growing unrest among the people and the business community.

The resolution was moved by treasury members and was supported by the opposition members.

In a separate but related resolution tabled by convener Nasreen Jalil, the house expressed concern over frequent and long-duration load-shedding in the city, affecting not only the citizens but also industrial units which resulted in a decline in government revenue.

This resolution, also adopted unanimously, called for empowering the city government to take steps for the generation and distribution of electricity for its residential, commercial and industrial areas. For this purpose, the council suggested certain amendments to the Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power Act 1997.

The proposed amendments are: In Section 2 (x) words “not solely” may be deleted. In Section 15 the following sub section (5) is added “The licensee shall be entitled to use the power generated through its facility entirely for its distribution system” while in Section 24 the following is added: “after any other person specially exempted by the Authority,” “or any organization generating power entirely for its own use.”

Earlier, before the passage of these resolutions, senior treasury leader Masood Mehmud stood up on a point of order, suggesting to the house to adopt a simple resolution which should not be more than two sentences long.

Mr Mehmud suggested that this house demand that the people of Karachi would not pay KESC bills until the recent hike in the power tariff was withdrawn.

However, the convener turned down his suggestion and ruled that the house fully reflected the sentiments of the people and would not take such steps in haste that would create anarchy.

When the house resumed its proceedings, several members took part in the debate and made suggestions to resolve the running power crisis in the city.

Roundtable conference

Supporting the idea of a roundtable of all parties and stakeholders to discuss the current electricity crisis, treasury member Mohammad Arshad Qureshi said the Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief had already made such a proposal to find a permanent solution to the problems being faced by the country which also included terrorism.

Expressing concern over the ongoing power crisis affecting every segment of society, Mr Qureshi urged the government to direct the KESC to immediately withdraw its notification regarding the increase in power tariff in the interest of the people of Karachi.

The treasury member also urged the convener to call an emergency session on the wheat flour crisis also.

Echoing the sentiments of the house, opposition member Yusaf Naz stressed the need for finding a viable solution to easing the present situation.

The opposition leader did not mince his words when he said he had certain reservations about the role of the city nazim. He, however, said he appreciated the calling of an emergency session on an important issue.

He suggested to the chairperson that she lead a march of the council members from M.A. Jinnah Road to the KESC head office. Mr Naz said the people should not pay KESC bills until it withdrew the additional electricity charges. In this regard, he also suggested the formation of resistance committees at the union council level.

The opposition member belonging to the Awam Dost panel also suggested that a house committee be set up to prepare a joint action plan.

Mr Naz also demanded that the privatisation of the KESC was the root-cause of the ongoing power crisis in the city. He called for the immediate withdrawal of the recent notification regarding power tariff hike.

Treasury member Shahbaz Husain slammed the Islamabad rulers for “hatching conspiracies against the people of Karachi”. He said it was the second operation against the people of Karachi after that of 1993.

Mr Husain said the decision to increase power chares by 70 per cent for only Karachi was aimed at crippling the economy of Karachi.

He also called for uniform power rates in the country and asked why Karachi was being meted out a step-motherly treatment. The treasury demanded the immediate withdrawal of the new electricity charges to save the economy of Karachi from a collapse.

Opposition member Dr Ziauddin also backed the idea of calling a roundtable of all political parties in Karachi. He also suggested that those who were involved in signing the anti-people sell-out agreement of the KESC must be made accountable.

He also urged the government to direct the KESC to withdraw its notification regarding the power tariff hike to save Karachi from plunging into chaos.

Treasury member Javaid Jadoon from Baldia Town also criticised the KESC for its inefficiency and called for the withdrawal of the power tariff notification.

Fire in sub-station

Awam Dost panel member Syed Dilwar Shah from Keamari Town said that a fire broke out in a KESC sub-station in his locality on Monday when he reached there after attending the council session.

He said the sub-station had been badly damaged because of the late arrival of fire tenders. However, he appreciated the role of the KPT fire station in putting out the fire.

Opposition members called for shifting the sub-station to some other place. He also appreciated the convener for convening the emergency session on the current power crisis and called for the withdrawal of the KESC notification.

Other members who participated in the debate included Shahabuddin from Orangi Town, Abdul Waseh from Shah Faisal Town, Najma Abrar, Mohammad Afzal, Imran Ahmed, Dr Nikhat Shaeel and Sarwar Arif.

Leader of the house Asif Siddiqui supported the resolution tabled by the house which, he said, reflected the sentiments of the house members. He also backed the resolution for the withdrawal of the recent increase in power tariff.

Opposition leader Sheikh Mehbubur Rehman also lent support to the resolutions and called for the withdrawal of the new rates.

Long-march proposal

On a point of order, Ramzan Awan of Al-Khidmat group suggested a long march to protest against the decision of the KESC. He also suggested that a one-day strike be called on the issue.

The convener, however, dismissed Mr Awan’s suggestion and also some other suggestions calling for protest rallies. She said the house was a representative forum from where messages were conveyed to the relevant authorities.

At the outset of the proceedings, Abdul Razzak of Al-Khidmat group alleged that some elements were trying to create terror in the city in the name Talibanisation to advance their own political agenda.

His remarks created uproar in the treasury benches. On the intervention of the convener, the situation was calmed.

After the unanimous passage of the resolutions, the convener adjourned the house session indefinitely.