KARACHI, Oct 11: Trade and industry leaders on Saturday decided not to pay power bills on enhanced tariffs and said they will instead make payments through bank drafts or pay orders at previous rates through their respective trade bodies.
A decision to this affect was taken at a representative meeting held at the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati) where speakers criticised the KESC for its inefficiency and demanded that the government should immediately take back the utility.
The leaders were unanimous in their views that when the purpose of handing over the power utility to the private sector has not been achieved, it should be immediately taken back by the government.
They said that since the new management of the KESC failed to check line losses of up to 40 per cent and 15 per cent theft there remains no logic to allow them to continue.
However, before taking any drastic decision the trade and industry leaders decided to form a committee, which will meet the president and the prime minister to seek their intervention for the withdrawal of new power tariffs.
The meeting was chaired by S M Muneer and attended by leaders of 17 trade bodies and industrial estates of the city, who vent their anger against a steep rise in power tariffs ranging from 32 to 70 per cent for all categories of consumers.
The business leaders demanded of the government to disclose the agreement document signed with the new management of the KESC because there are reports that the power utility is under binding for not increasing rates for a period of seven years.
They expressed their solidarity with the government and felt that the national exchequer could no more afford to give subsidies. However, they pointed out that hike in power tariff has been made at a time when oil prices in the world market are coming down and instead of giving relief an unprecedented burden has been put on industry.
There was strong demand at the meeting that the trade and industry should go on strike and should not pay power bills. The participants felt that the government was not giving due heed to the problems faced by the trade and industry.
The business leaders complained about indifferent attitude of the present government and said that each time such decisions, which have a direct bearing on their cost of production, were taken without any consultation with the trade.
However, they said that they were ready to give some time to the government before taking any drastic measure, which includes staging a strike or approaching the court of law for getting relief against such bad decisions.
S M Muneer requested the president and the prime minister to hold the tariff hike’s decision in abeyance till such time business leaders are given an opportunity to put their point of view before them.
He also disclosed that Sindh Minister of Industries Rauf Siddiqui had assured that he would accompany the business delegation to Islamabad for talks on different issues, including power tariff.
The participants of the meeting decided to meet on Monday at the Federation House so that future line of action could be taken under umbrella of the apex body. They also invited the Karachi Chamber to attend the meeting.