No more unannounced loadshedding in Karachi from tomorrow, says Asad Umar

KARACHI: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said Saturday there will be no unannounced loadshedding in Karachi from tomorrow (Sunday).

Umar paid a visit to the PTI protest camp in Karachi where he stood alongside Governor Sindh Imran Ismail. He said that the PTI government did not sign any agreement with K-Electric (KE) rather, previous governments did.

“The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has increased the gas supply to K-Electric to 290mmcf,” he said. “Even if after this the problems are not solved, we will take legal action. PTI did not sign any agreements with KE, the previous governments did. If a takeover is needed, that will be done,” he added.

Addressing the power cuts throughout the city, the minister said that the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) will issue a report on the matter and the government was ready to act against the KE on basis of its findings.

Governor Ismail said: “After efforts from the government, there will be no more unannounced power cuts in the city from tomorrow. NEPRA will conduct an audit into the issue of overbilling and if any were found, CEO KE will refund it,” he added.

Governor Sindh Imran Ismail said that KE has not make any investment or expenditure to boost production of the electricity.

The governor was addressing a session on Karachi’s power woes, where KE officials gave a briefing as well. The session was held on directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

“The city is being provided 2,950MW of electricity, and the shortfall is 250MW,” said KE CEO.

To which, the governor responded that then the loadshedding should not be of more than an hour, but power is switched off for six to seven hours in parts of the city.

The governor expressed his dissatisfaction with the power company, saying it failed to fulfill its obligations despite help from the Centre.

He said that the Centre has surplus electricity, although the power company cannot add more than 720MW from the national grid to its system.

Ismail said that KE is ‘more concerned over its profits’ over people’s benefit, adding that the Bin Qasim power plant can be made operational on furnace oil if gas supply is an issue.