APROPOS the editorial ‘Electricity in Karachi’ (Jan 30). It underlined the core issue in the light of the termination of the 650 MW power agreement and shows the discriminatory behaviour of the federal government towards the Sindh government.

The editorial raises an important point about Karachi’s right to power supply from the national grid. The federal government claims that it has been reluctant to renew the agreement because it wants to end the persistent and prolonged periods of load-shedding across the country. However, the federal government’s bias was evident in the statement by the federal minister for water and power that, with the termination of the power agreement, Karachi would suffer power outages just like rest of the country.

As a Karachiite, I want to pose a question to the government: why must it sideline Karachi in terms of power supply from the national grid? Is it to counter the electricity shortfall across the country or does the federal government have any other motive. Is this because the PML-N didn’t fare well in Sindh in the general election last year? Whatever the reasons, it doesn’t behove the federal government to deny Karachi its rights.

Karachi has as much right as any part of Pakistan to power supply from the national grid. A power cut-off would also mean all industries in the nation’s biggest city and port will face huge losses in output.

In contrast, we Karachiites do want that other parts of the country also enjoy the same benefits as we do -- but not at the expense of our rights. I also believe that vengeance should not be part of policymaking. I urged the prime minister to intervene in this crucial matter and try to defuse the tension.

Umair Qazi

(Student)

Karachi

Published in Dawn February 2nd , 2015

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