ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani called on President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday night and discussed with him a host of issues, including power outages across the country.

The meeting, held at the presidency, took serious note of frequent power breakdowns in Karachi and failure of KESC in meeting the challenge, particularly after the rain on Saturday night.

According to presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar, the president had asked the government to take immediate measures to streamline the working of the Karachi Electric Supply Company.

Soon after the meeting, a show-cause notice was issued to the KESC. The utility was warned that strict action would be taken against it for its consistent failure in meeting obligations. The action might include taking over of the KESC management by the government, it said.

The utility was asked to explain why an action should not be taken against it under the law.

The president also briefed the prime minister on his recent meeting with PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif in which they agreed to reform the Constitution in accordance with the Charter of Democracy and purge it of the 17th Constitutional Amendment.