KARACHI: After almost a month-long power crisis faced by Karachiites, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi intervened on Monday and asked the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to resume supply to K-Electric, which had been using a shortage of gas as a pretext for the current prolonged outages.

The PM appointed his adviser on finance Miftah Ismail to look into the issue of outstanding dues between the two utilities for its early resolution.

The prime minister, who was on a daylong visit to Karachi to attend a summit on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as the chief guest, also presided over a meeting of the cabinet committee at Governor House. This meeting was attended by Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and his Punjab counterpart Shahbaz Sharif.

During interaction with the media after the meeting, PM Abbasi did not give any details about the action planned against KE, recently found at fault by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) for the ongoing power crisis in Karachi.

JI insists on strike call for 27th

“With the assurance from the SSGC to meet the gas demand of K-Electric, the dispute between the two sides has been resolved and we hope this would restore regular power supply to the people of Karachi,” he said. “We have also appointed Miftah Ismail as head of a committee, which would look into the issue of outstanding dues between the SSGC and K-Electric for an early solution. Once this power crisis is resolved, one can hope that the issue of shortage of water due to the electricity crisis would also be over.”

Karachiites have suffered almost a month of prolonged power outages, including those days when the residents of the city braved almost 40 degrees Celsius temperature amid blame game between the two utilities. K-Electric termed insufficient gas supply from the SSGC as a reason behind the power crisis.

The SSGC on the other hand negated KE’s claim and called the power utility a defaulter of about Rs80 billion.

When asked about any plan of the federal government to take over KE for its poor performance, PM Abbasi said the government had no such intention and neither to set up any other similar body for power generation and distribution in Karachi. Mr Abbasi said that power generation in the country was still higher than the demand but areas which were witnessing up to 60 per cent theft had to bear power outages.

JI’s strike call

The announcement from the prime minister was largely welcomed by different segments of society, though the Jamaat-i-Islami, which had already called a strike for April 27 over the issue, decided to go ahead with their plan.

“From today, we would monitor the power supply situation in Karachi. We stick to our April 27 strike call and warn the government and all stakeholders, including K-Electric, that if the situation doesn’t improve, our protest campaign would turn stronger,” said JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rahman while speaking at a press conference at the party’s headquarters, Idara Noor-i-Haq.

Mayor of Karachi Wasim Akhtar on the other hand asked KE to fulfil its duty and solve the loadshedding issue in the city as the prime minister gave the approval for the provision of 190mmcfd gas to the power utility for uninterrupted supply of electricity.

Meanwhile, leaders of seven industrial estates of the city demanded of the government to set up more than one power utility company for Karachi because K-Electric is holding a monopoly.

After holding a protest outside the Karachi Press Club, these leaders demanded smooth supply of all the utilities. They claimed that during the last 26 days of power crisis the industry had suffered losses of up to Rs37bn.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2018