Sir,

This is in response to the letter entitled “KESC should pay consumers”, printed on June 1, 2009.

The complaint has been noted, and you will notice an increased emphasis from us over this summer on ensuring that load-shedding is minimised through new generation investment and a redoubled emphasis on maintenance of our distribution system and on our customer service. Our Integrated Business Centre on 13th Commercial St, Phase II, DHA is part of a new customer-centric approach and we would urge you to pay a visit.The biggest issue facing KESC is the theft of electricity. Fixing that fixes load-shedding and alongside our investment in generation, would actually create surplus power, even today. Load-shedding results in lost revenue and is not in any public utility's interest. Our advertising is intended to create an open dialogue (like this one), to make the facts clear and to put our shared challenges across to the Karachi public.

OVAIS NAQVI

Chief Communications Officer

KESC

Pillion riding ban

Sir,

I was shocked to hear the news on May 25 that a ban was once again being placed on pillion riding in the cities of Karachi and Hyderabad for a period of one month. A similar ban had been placed in November 2008, and had lasted several months.

The ban, however, only allowed the city police to earn money by ticketing innocent people who were riding two to a motorcycle. It would be interesting to know how many criminals they apprehended in this manner. The police are always the last to reach the place of any real incident, and do so simply to fulfil formalities.

Such a ban is not placed in any other country, and I regret that in Pakistan we only implement bans which trouble regular people, rather than provide them with any benefits. How will the pillion riding ban help to control crime in the city? It will just badly affect the common and middle classes, who now find it difficult to reach their places of work. It just creates tension for bike riders, and the authorities do not take into account the woeful state of the public transportation system, which is the only alternative.

I strongly condemn this type of ban, and would ask the business community to register their strong protest against it.

If our police cannot tell the difference between innocent citizens and criminals, why should citizens have to pay?

ASHFAQ SHARIF

Soldier Bazaar

Tankers pose

accident risk

Sir,

On June 28, 2008, a small girl was killed and her brother seriously injured by a water tanker on Shahrah-e-Ghalib in Shireen Jinnah Colony.

Consequently, riots erupted, resulting in substantial losses, because these tankers have been killing people for decades on the same road and have been a great nuisance to schoolchildren, women and other residents of the locality.

Residents withdrew their strike call only after senior police officials assured them that the tankers would never again be allowed to park in the area or to carry out repairs there.

For some time now, however, the tankers have once again begun occupying Shahrah-e-Ghalib. Drivers park their vehicles on the main road and carry out repairs there. They are a serious threat to people, and cause extensive damage to the road.

Complaints have repeatedly been lodged with the traffic police, but all in vain. The authorities concerned are requested to take immediate action and to instruct the traffic police officials concerned to have the water tankers removed as soon as possible, in order to avoid any more accidents.

MAJID KHAN JADOON

Karachi

Load-shedding from dawn till dusk

Sir,

The people of Masoom Shah Colony, near the football ground in Chanesar Goth, are suffering from load-shedding that lasts from dawn till dusk. When we complain on 118, we are told that there is a “cable fault”, and that the problem will be resolved within two hours. It has now been two months, and the matter remains unresolved. Citizens, especially women and children, are suffering in the scorching heat.

It is requested that the Sindh Governor, the Chief Minister and the KESC CEO take immediate notice of this and have the fault rectified.

ZULFIQAR AHMED

Masoom Shah Colony

Clean up electricity poles

Sir,

Is it not possible to give a contract to some enterprising company or individual to remove all the dirty flags, sticks, banners, cords and tape from all the electric poles in the city? At this time of the year, Karachi experiences a strong gusty wind, which causes the flags and sticks to break loose and dangle limply, giving an ugly look to the city. No flags and banners should be allowed on the roads.

FATEMA FUTEHALLY

Gulshan-e-Iqbal

city@dawn.com