THIS is apropos of the letter regarding irregularities in the KESC billing (Aug 29). We too have received odd figures from the KESC and would really like to know how they go about determining 'arrears' — the fact that those that paytax in Pakistan are fleeced is something one learns to accept as a sad fact of life.

We have two electricity meters, one commercial and the other residential. Owing to a mix-up on our end, the bills were misplaced last month and a KESC team promptly showed up to disconnect our supply.

As soon as the team alerted us, we paid our bills in full, the figure on the bill that said 'Payable after due date'.

This month, however, our bills read arrears as Rs88.04 on one bill and Rs25,578.54 on the other. Perhaps if you look closely at your old bills, you will find, as we did, prompted by the shock of this episode — that the KESC routinely sends arrears of varying amounts with each bill.

I have three questions.

One, how is it that the KESC teams show up to disconnect the lines of those that pay regularly every month but the same teams do diddly squat about illegal 'kunda' connections that are causing millions in losses each day?

Two, does the KESC have a formula by which it calculates 'arrears' or does some bureaucrat arbitrarily concoct a new figure of his liking each time?

Three, will the courts or consumer protection agencies/societies or perhaps the Competition Commission of Pakistan please take note of the fleecing of customers who have to hear the 'good news' of power prices going up every fortnight and then this?

DR SALIM HOSEIN
Karachi