KARACHI: An angry mob attacked the residence of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNA Shakoor Shad in Lyari, police said on Monday.

The lawmaker filed an application with the Kalakot police station stating that ‘miscreants’ at the behest of his supposed rivals attacked his house, pelted it with stones and attempted to set it on fire, but a timely action by police and Rangers prevented a disaster.

He said that the K-Electric had resorted to cut power supply to whole areas in his constituency and he had asked them not to do so since their policy of collective punishment was creating a law and order situation.

He said that there was no electricity for the past three days in his area because the KE disconnected power supply from pole-mounted transformers (PMTs).

The MNA demanded that a ‘legal action’ be taken against the KE management.

City SSP Shabeer Ahmed Sethar said the police had registered a case against ‘miscreants’ on the complaint of the legislator.

However, he explained that the MNA had given an application for lodging an FIR against KE management, but police had invoked relevant sections of law against the mob only.

KE condemns the attack

Meanwhile, KE through its spokesperson expressed its sympathies with MNA Shad and strongly condemned the use of force by unknown assailants. He clarified that holding the company responsible for the actions of unrelated individuals was incorrect.

Speaking on the matter of PMTs that had been disconnected, the KE spokesperson clarified that over 85pc of the consumers associated with five specific PMTs in the entire Lyari area were defaulting on their payments for over one year, whereas the collective bill for these PMTs amounted to Rs33.6 million.

The associated consumers had been engaged repeatedly through various means and were offered extensions on the due dates. “Unfortunately, these assurances have not been met. As a result, it [KE] is no longer viable to keep supplying electricity to these areas.”

The KE spokesperson said that the utility remained open to discussion and dialogue to find a sustainable and amicable resolution. The company also appealed to the prime minster and Sindh governor to take notice of the remarks made by an elected representative.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2022