December 19, 2008	Friday	Zilhaj 20, 1429

KARACHI, Dec 18: After a heated debate, the city council on Thursday adopted a resolution urging the federal government to cut the electricity tariff in proportion to the drop in the price of furnace oil in the international market, and help ease the growing unrest among the people and the business community.

The resolution moved by treasury members also called for taking appropriate measures for ending load-shedding in the winter months.

Thursday’s session was specially summoned by convener Nasreen Jalil to discuss the current electricity crisis in the city. Earlier, she dismissed the submissions of opposition members for a debate on the recent ethnic violence in the city that claimed 60 lives and the violation of Pakistani airspace by Indian jets.

Oposition members, led by Rafiq Ahmed of Al-Khidmat group, argued that these issues were equally important as they concerned the security of the country and its people.

Another opposition leader, Anwar Baloch of the Awam Dost panel, also tried to draw the attention of the house to water shortage in certain parts of the city.

The chair, however, ruled that the council meeting was specially called for debating the existing electricity crisis, affecting not only the citizens but also the industrial units, badly affecting the government revenue.

She maintained that the recent oil spill in a Korangi area, affecting 200 households, was more important and serious, and she lauded the role of the city government in this regard and criticised the Sindh government and the national disaster management agencies for failing to come to the rescue of the people on time.

She said the house should take up the issue separately in its next session and urged the members not to raise other issues, which might detract from the significance of the special session.

Ms Jalil allowed treasury leader Abdul Jalil to open the debate on the resolution related to the electricity crisis in the city. Initiating the debate, Abdul Jalil of the Haq Parast panel expressed concern over the persisting load-shedding in Karachi that, too, in winter, when the use of electricity decreased considerably.

He said it was surprising that there was no load-shedding in any part of the country except in Karachi. Mr Jalil accused the present KESC management of violating the privatisation agreement.

According to him, the KESC had committed itself to investing Rs5 billion and Rs20 billion, in short- and long-term power generation plants and improving the distribution system. He deplored that the management did not honour its commitment.

Salaries of KESC engineers

He alleged that the private utility organisation, instead of improving power generation, was spending billions of rupees on unproductive activities. In this regard, he pointed to the recent “huge salary raise” of KESC engineers, coming to billions of rupees.

While Mr Jalil was making his submissions, some opposition members tried to interrupt him. On a point of explanation, Advocate Saifuddin said that the house could not verify the fact as there was no KESC official to explain the real position.The opposition urged the chair to call a KESC representative to know the utility organisation’s point of view.

Upon this, house leader Asif Siddiqui reminded the house that whenever officials were called to the house for an explanation, the opposition refused to listen to them.

The convener ruled out the idea of the opposition leader and asked the treasury leader to continue his speech.

Continuing, the treasury leader also slammed the government for withdrawing the 40 per cent cut in the tariff levied by it two months back. “It is sheer injustice to the people,” he said, urging the government to review its decision.

He also criticised the KESC management for forcible recovery of dues, saying that the situation was getting out of control. The treasury leader also demanded the immediate withdrawal of the surcharge notification.Mr Jalil was followed by another treasury member, Ahsan Siddiqui, who endorsed the views of his predecessor, saying that the problems of Karachi needed serious thought. He suggested that a house committee comprising members of both sides be set up to regularly monitor the electricity situation in the city.Reciprocating the sentiments of the treasury leaders, Awam Dost panel leader Juman Darwan said the views uttered by the treasury were the same as were expressed by the opposition which had criticised the privatisation of the KESC while the treasury had defended the policy.

Mr Juman urged the government to take back the control of the KESC and make public the agreement made with the new KESC management. He also appealed to all democratic forces to join hands and make Karachi a peaceful city.

Concluding the debate, house leader Asif Siddiqui urged the government to withdraw the surplus billing issued to the citizens and help ease the growing unrest among KESC consumers.

He said there was no justification for the surplus billing in view of the recent fall in furnace oil prices in the international market.

Earlier, some members including opposition member Zahid Saeed suggested that the people of Karachi should not pay KESC bills until the recent increase in the power tariff was withdrawn.

Treasury leader Masood Mehmud opposed the demand, saying that the demand was earlier made by the business community. He said in case the businessmen gave a call for this purpose, the people of Karachi might join them. However, the convener turned down the suggestion, saying that this step would lead to anarchy.

At the outset of the meeting, the opposition members staged a token walkout when the convener did not allow them to debate the issues of Karachi disturbances, Indian air violation and detained Iraqi journalist Muntazer Al-Zaidi.

When the treasury resolution on the electricity crisis was put to the vote, it was adopted. However, the opposition members did not participate in the vote.

Later, the council meeting was adjourned to meet again on Saturday.