I HAVE been following the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation’s (KESC) privatisation since 2005 with keen interest for all of those 18 years. During this period, I have participated in various actions to safeguard the interest of K-Electric (KE) consumers; the major achievement being the implementation of the time of use (ToU) tariff, which was being denied to residential, commercial and industrial consumers in Karachi till 2019.

KE owes billions of rupees to the people of Karachi on this count alone because the ToU tariff was implemented across the rest of Pakistan a decade earlier in 2009. Another issue of ‘collective punishment’, based on colonial practices, is pending in the Sindh High Court (SHC).

Coming to the current situation when the KE’s licence is under consideration for extension, in the backdrop of multiple complaints against this vertically integrated power monopoly, there are two points that need to be kept in mind.

First, all litigations between KE and the federal government and its authorities, such as National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), National Transmission Despatch Company (NTDC), etc., must be resolved. This is one of the basic terms of privatisation.

Second, there should be a competitive environment, instead of the present monopolistic one, to improve the quality of service at competitive rates. This will give an option to the customers for availing the services of their choice from multiple service providers.

The relevant ministries at federal and provincial levels as well as those running Nepra shall consider these suggestions seriously in the larger public interest.

Nazim Haji
Karachi

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2023