Petition against K-Electric privatisation filed in SC

Abdul Shakoor Khan Published June 25, 2015

ISLAMABAD: A petition filed in the Supreme Court against the privatisation of K-Electric on Thursday pleaded that the apex court order compensation for the families of Karachi's heatwave victims.

Sindh has been grappling with a deadly heatwave that has claimed over 1,000 lives — with a majority of the victims in Karachi.

Take a look: Heatwave death toll in Sindh tops 1,000

The petitioner, Mahmood Akhtar Taqwi, said that the Supreme Court should order a complete record of deaths that have occurred due to the recent heatwave in Sindh.

The petitioner also maintained that the Sindh and federal governments should also compensate the heirs of heatwave victims Rs2,500,000 and Rs1,000,000 respectively.

Taqwi adopted the stance that the apex court also order a record of K-Electric's privatisation, and that all names of K-Electric officials be placed on the Exit Control List (ECL).

The petitioner moreover pleaded that the court order the federal government to end load-shedding and improve the state's power distribution systems.

Taqwi also requested the apex court to disqualify lawmakers who had offered funeral prayers in absentia for heatwave victims in front of the Parliament with their shoes on.

The petition named Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif, Minister of State for Water and Power Chaudhry Abid Sher Ali, Secretary Water and Power Younus Dagha, Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah and K-Electric Chief Executive Officer Tayyab Tareen as parties.

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Juliana Fitzwater

Jun 25, 2015 12:32pm

Seriously? Court should heavily fine this non-serious petitioner for wasting court's time for cheap publicity.

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Changez_Khan

Jun 25, 2015 01:11pm

KESC must be prosecuted in Military Courts, they are responsible of 1000 deaths, worst than terrorism.

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Jun 25, 2015 01:12pm

These petitioners should be made to wait outside in the heat for a good day or two... and then be rejected.

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Jun 25, 2015 01:15pm

Sad for the heatwave deaths and probably comes under natural calamities. Floods have taken heavy toll in the past and lets pray that this year would things are managed properly. Power failure played a role in these deaths but there are many other factors to be looked at --- awareness and education about heat stroke signs; better facilities for such patients in local area. For example -- schools are closed for summer vacations, use a class room or so to provide immediate first aid; mosques could spare some area etc. We look to the govt for everything BUT lets work ourselves to find simple solutions.

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khalid gandhi

Jun 25, 2015 01:16pm

this exercise is just wastage of time Privatization was done many years back That should have been challenged by then .There should be a time bar on issuing and challenging such matter

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Shaukat Ali

Jun 25, 2015 01:25pm

What has the electricity got to do with the heatwave victims? If electricity could provide relief from heatwave, there wouldn't have been 15,000 deaths in France in August 2003 and 11,000 deaths in Russia in July-August 2011. However, the government must avail this chance to recover amounts from defaulters of electricity through the same court.

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Sallu Mian

Jun 25, 2015 01:55pm

This is ridiculous. Its K-electric only which is providing the best service throughout Pakistan. Since its privatisation, everyone is happy with their performance. K-Electric should file a cross petition against the Sindh government for failing to ensure that their is no theft, and failing to provide security to their staff who have been working day and night. And also, we as citizens should file a FIR against this petitioner. The governments can not even handle current crisis,how will they be able to handle the whole of Karachi. Its a complete no from a citizen of Karachi, I stand with K-Electric.

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Zaid Noorsumar

Jun 25, 2015 02:43pm

People should read Khurram Hussain's article in Dawn on this issue (http://www.dawn.com/news/1190240/heat-of-the-moment). He points out that the deaths were marginally related to load-shedding/power breakdowns.

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khanm

Jun 25, 2015 02:47pm

I guess a diversion tactics... moving focus from the main culprits...The mind gets distracted in all sorts of ways. The heart is its own exclusive concern and diversion.Ironing is a great diversion from the reality you don't want to face.

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Akram

Jun 25, 2015 03:11pm

this is foolish waste of time, blame the CM not K electric. How can they provide electricity its the lack of generation that is causing shortages, its not the fact that electric is not being distributed.

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Ali

Jun 25, 2015 04:26pm

This is the one problem in Pakistan, which if fixed, will solve all other issues. "Someone has to take Responsibility."

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@expat

Jun 25, 2015 05:45pm

K-Electric's privatisation may have been a shoddy under the table deal,as is usual in this unfortunate country. It may need to be probed given the incompetence and failure of the organisation to invest in power plants,distribution network . The present day crisis also seem to be somewhat fake in the sense that last year during the same period there was no such crisis . Could it be politically motivated to pressurize the federal govt? Petitioner can summon the court if city hospitals run without electricity, if the citizens don't get electricity and water ,if theft of electricity is allowed for reasons well known and law abiding citizens are made to pay.

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@expat

Jun 25, 2015 05:58pm

What were the terms and conditions of privatisation of KESC ? Citizens have the right to ask and scrutinize whether K-Electric has fulfilled its contract with the city of Karachi? Is there any govt. body to overlook the functioning of vital organisations like K-Electric? Is K-Electric required by law to submit an annual report on its functioning ,achievements ,shortfalls? Has K-Electric since its inception,achieved the targets set as conditions in the contract? If K-electric has failed to fulfill its contract, can the contract be revoked? Is there a lesson to learn from privatisation of vital organisations to foreign companies (especially Arabs ) like K-electric and PTCL ( plagued by grey trafficking and reportedly still owing a billion dollars to the privatisation commission)?

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Unshackle Pakistan

Jun 25, 2015 06:41pm

@@expat Privatization means if the company refuses to offer services there won't be any gov't support or money provided to it. Eventually without offering service it won't make revenues and go belly up. That's the whole point of privatization that has since 1820 (Industrial Revolution). It doesn't guarantee availability at first, but with free competition, to make a profit, firms would improve service. Remember the phone companies before privatization in Pakistan? @Unshacklepak

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KeyPoints

Jun 25, 2015 09:04pm

Excellent patriotic petition. Life of Pakistanis is not cheap. Those making big money and renegging on contract should compensate for loss of life and loss of businesses to Pakistani citizens. Who contracted out essential services to K-Electric, who are on board of directors and major share holders? Why any foreigners allowed to control essential services like electricity and who has been making big money out of this deal? Time for full investigation, time to cancel contract, time to put control of electricity in hands of government and competent, honest, hardworking pakistani citizens. No influence peddling on this one please. Think of Pakistan first, any monetary profits later. Thank you.

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shahzad

Jun 25, 2015 11:03pm

Karachi should go on indefinite strike, until their grievances are met. When federal and Sindh government would stop getting revenue (their corruption lifeline), they would act.

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Jun 26, 2015 03:01am

Sir, filing a FIR is absolutely normal for a complaint. But what about the decision? Because every judge needs pay to support his family and his children. Who will follow for the truth. They depend on people like Nawaz. Nothing can work unless you have a lot of people, who can question the realiabilty of Nawaz.

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Yas

Jun 26, 2015 04:33am

To discuss about the accountability in Pakistan is to just cry over an split milk. You cannot throw someone behind the bars due to incompetence and lake of skills. The worst part in our beloved country is competent and capable ones are busy in private sector while listless and useless managing roots of the country.

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